Donald Trump, the President-elect of the United States, on the 20th (local time) nominated former Dutch Ambassador Pete Hoekstra as the next U.S. Ambassador to Canada. He also reaffirmed his intention to renegotiate the USMCA, the trade agreement between the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
In a statement on the day, Trump said, "I am pleased to announce that Pete Hoekstra, a former ambassador and former congressman, has been nominated as the U.S. Ambassador to Canada." He added, "He is a respected figure in Michigan, the state where we won in this election." He also introduced him by saying, "He represented Michigan's 2nd District in the state legislature for nearly 20 years, served as chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, and was a great help in the campaign as chairman of the Michigan Republican Party."
In particular, Trump mentioned that he had revised the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which he had called "the worst trade agreement in history" during his previous administration, emphasizing his intention to renegotiate the USMCA by saying, "In the second term, Pete will once again help me put America first." He added, "He did an excellent job during his first four years as U.S. Ambassador to the Netherlands," and "He will represent the United States well in his new role."
Former Ambassador Hoekstra is a conservative figure who has strongly supported Trump’s "America First" policy. He also played a key role in Trump’s first victorious 2016 presidential campaign.
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