Is picking fights with Canada actually hurting the US too?

There are real costs to straining a relationship this close. Trade ties, shared security work, and cooperation on cross-border issues can all become harder when the public tone turns hostile. That does not mean every tariff or dispute is automatically irrational, but the benefits need to be weighed against the damage to trust and predictability.

Some of it may be bargaining. A government can use tariffs or sharp rhetoric to pressure a partner into changing a policy or making concessions. The tactic can still be costly, especially if it convinces allies that agreements are temporary or that cooperation can be used as leverage whenever politics shift.

I would be careful about treating this as proof of one hidden motive. Trade disputes can come from domestic political incentives, competing industry interests, or a belief that visible toughness plays well with voters. Those explanations can be shortsighted without requiring a coordinated plan to weaken the country.

Canada is a close partner, but that does not mean the two countries have identical interests. There can be legitimate disagreements over trade rules, regulation, or security priorities. The question is whether the response is proportionate and whether it leaves room to resolve the dispute, rather than turning routine bargaining into a lasting rupture.