Half of Americans are against Canadian tariffs, preferring to keep CUSMA intact, survey finds

Picture of the Canadian flag taken in Ottawa. Ottawa is the capital city of Canada, and a major hub for economy, politics and business in America.

Most Americans do not want to cut Canada out of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), according to new data released Wednesday from the Angus Reid Institute.

A new survey finds that twice as many Americans want to keep the trade deal as those who want to end it. Three quarters of Americans have a favourable view of Canada, with more than half of the population describing it as “the most important” or a “very important” trading partner to the U.S.

The poll found about 51 per cent of the American population would not even tariff Canadian goods if they had it their way.

Furthermore, Trump’s MAGA Republican base is more likely to want tariffs, but about half say they prefer splitting Mexico and Canada and negotiating separate deals, than not.

American views of Canada and CUSMA

There has been a great sense of betrayal among Canadians during Trump’s second term in office following the imposition of sweeping tariffs and his repeated public suggestions that Canada should be annexed as the 51st state, the survey finds.

And while some Canadians might be angry, three-quarters of Americans still have a “friendly” view of Canada.

This is despite the counter actions taken by the Canadian government in response to U.S. tariffs, which includes Canadians avoiding U.S. travel and removing American liquor off shelves, both of which were called ‘nasty’ by the American ambassador to Canada.

Canada’s favorability rating in the U.S. is currently higher than that of any other major American allies, with the United Kingdom at 68 per cent favourable and the European Union at 60 per cent, the poll found.

American perception of Trump’s tariffs

While U.S. inflation has cooled under Trump, his administration’s tariffs had an inflationary effect on retail prices last year, with the New York Federal Reserve President claiming that the tariffs have kept inflation under the U.S. Federal Reserve’s two per cent goal, the survey finds.

Meanwhile, two thirds of Americans believe that tariffs are mostly paid by American consumers and businesses, while the rest believe the cost is passed to foreign companies or spread among domestic consumers, businesses and foreign companies and governments.

More than half of Americans disapprove of Trump’s tariff policies (57 per cent), nearly double the rate of approval (30 per cent).

Top issues for Americans

According to the survey, nearly half of Americans are most concerned about the cost of living, while roughly one-third prioritize government corruption and healthcare costs.

Political leanings appear to influence what issues Americans prioritize, but the high cost of living ranks high across the board.

While MAGA supporters focus on the border and crime, other Republicans have a different take on healthcare. Meanwhile, Democrats are more concerned with the fallout from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) crackdowns than their Republican counterparts.

METHODOLOGY

The Angus Reid Institute conducted an online survey from March 2 5, 2026 among a representative randomized sample of 1,529 American adults who are members of Angus Reid Forum USA. For comparison purposes only, a probability sample of this size would carry a margin of error of +/- 3 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding. The survey was self-commissioned and paid for by ARI.