Trump's Canadian play was another presidential kiss of death

The big national election to the north this week wasn’t the first time Donald Trump tanked the ballot chances of a bona fide conservative populist.

This sort of thing has been known to happen in elections and primaries within the U.S., where a president’s embrace proves unhelpful, or even counterproductive.

Less than a year ago, for example, about the last thing on earth many Democratic candidates wanted was a clearly exhausted, border-challenged President Joe Biden rolling into town to "help" their campaigns.

This week, Trump exported a single-handed kiss of death to a foreign candidate. Several months ago, Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre was widely expected to become Canada’s next prime minister after voters grew weary of the Liberal Party’s decade-long tenure under PM Justin Trudeau and successor Mark Carney.

But in January, once he returned to office, Trump began a bizarre push to get Canada, a close ally, to surrender its self-determination and sign on as the 51st state. Canada rallied behind Carney in record turnout as the best anti-Trumper. Poilievre even lost his seat in Parliament.

In December and January, Trump’s megabucks political ally and "efficiency" chief, Elon Musk, used his platform X to laud and endorse Poilievre, repost the leader’s tweets, and praise his tart "mainstream media" exchanges. Musk also slurred Trudeau as an "insufferable tool" on Trudeau’s way out the door.

All consistent MAGA stuff.

In March, however, Trump acknowledged that the association was dragging down Poilievre, whom he even began to bad-mouth. Ever unwilling to take blame or be seen as a loser, Trump told Laura Ingraham on Fox News Channel, "I’d rather deal with a Liberal than a Conservative."

Would he really? Carney’s background as a high-powered international banker makes him a heavy hitter for Canada on trade deals, which is at the root of Trump’s antagonisms with supposedly allied nations. And Trump clearly was vexed for years by Trudeau, the previous Liberal PM.

Trump also told Ingraham he didn't care who won.

By this week, Poilievre appealed to Trump on social media — a bit late — to keep out of the Canadian election.

This may be déjà vu for those who follow Trump. Four years ago, Georgia Republicans were forced to assert their state’s constitutional autonomy when it comes to elections, and it became a distraction for local races. 

In an impossibly audacious gambit in early 2021, despite losing the election, Trump cajoled, lobbied and pressured Georgia’s elected GOP leaders who refused his demand they tamper with election tallies. It was like asking Canada to hand its authority over to him.

Amid the turmoil and backlash, Georgia Republicans lost both Senate seats in runoffs — costing the GOP a chamber majority, despite the nomination of MAGA-loyal candidates with Trump endorsements who were pressured to go along with his false election claims. As it turned out, Trump had made a burdensome demand of allies.

Now Trump is headed into a season in which he will need support in Congress on potentially unpopular initiatives. His continued ability to hold the loyalty of the Republican Party will face a big test. Perhaps as a U.S. party leader he will see fit to show more consideration for the political fortunes of fellow conservatives — certainly more than he did for those in Canada. GOP insiders are already filled with concern about next year's House races. Don't blame honest believers in conservative politics if they feel a chilly wind blowing in from the north this week.     

Columnist Dan Janison's opinions are his own.

By Dan Janison

dan.janison@newsday.comDanJanison

Dan Janison is a member of the Newsday editorial board.