Over Half Of Canadians Say The U.S. Is Their Greatest Threat As Cross-Border Travel Continues To Fall
It’s no mystery that the relationship between Canada and the U.S. has been tumultuous in the last few months. Yet, many have underestimated how much Canadians’ views of the U.S. have changed in just a few years. According to a survey published by the Pew Research Center, over half of Canadians consider the U.S. their greatest threat.
Most of Canada’s population said their neighbor threatened their economy and national security. The survey also shows that the number of Canadian citizens sharing these views has almost tripled since 2019. As negative sentiments rise, cross-border travel continues to decline, with fewer and fewer Canadians choosing the U.S. for their holidays.
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59% Of Canadians Say The U.S. Is Their Greatest Threat
Flag of Canada with pine tree, Banff national park, Alberta, Canada.
A survey recently published by Pew Research Center reported that 59% of Canadians believe the U.S. is their greatest threat. This was the most common answer in six countries, and it was tied for top in two extra ones: Canada, Argentina, Brazil, Kenya, Mexico, South Africa, Indonesia, and Spain. According to the report:
Though the U.S. is seen as an important ally in many places, people in eight countries most frequently name it as their top threat. Majorities in both Canada and Mexico view the U.S. this way, as do roughly a quarter of adults or more in Argentina, Brazil, Indonesia and South Africa. In Kenya and Spain, the U.S. ties for the top response on this question.
In addition, the citizens of ten European countries mentioned the U.S. as their second-most common threat. Roughly 53% of Canadians said the U.S. threatens their national security, while three-quarters said it’s a threat to their economy. A similar survey was conducted in 2019. At the time, about 20% of Canadians mentioned the U.S. as their greatest threat. This means that in about six years, the number of Canadian citizens considering their neighbor as a threat has almost tripled.
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Pew Research Center Key Points |
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|---|---|
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Canadians who said the U.S. is their greatest threat |
59% |
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Canadians who said the U.S. is a threat to their national security |
About 53% |
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Canadians who said the U.S. is a threat to their economy |
About 3/4 |
This should not be too surprising, as the relationship between the two countries has been tense since the beginning of Trump’s second term. A few months ago, the Canadian government updated its travel advisory for the U.S., warning its citizens about inspection of electronic devices when crossing the border. The advisory stated:
U.S. authorities strictly enforce entry requirements. Expect scrutiny at ports of entry, including electronic devices. Comply and be forthcoming in all interactions with border authorities. If you are denied entry, you could be detained while awaiting deportation.
Yet Canadians are not the only ones with a negative sentiment toward the U.S. According to recent data, the U.S. has lost its big-spending tourists to its friendliest ally.
U.S. As A Top Ally
USA and Canada flags against cloudy sky
Despite the strong negative sentiment, many Canadians also mentioned the U.S. as their top ally. A total of 55% of Canadian citizens mentioned this country when asked this question. According to the survey, this was the most common response in 12 of the 24 countries included in the study. These are: Israel, where an overwhelming percentage of people, 95%, mentioned the U.S., South Korea, Japan, the UK, Poland, Italy, Australia, India, Nigeria, and Hungary.
How Was The Survey Conducted?
To collect data, the Pew Research Center surveyed 31,938 adults in 25 countries between January 8 and April 26, 2025. It’s important to remember that the data was collected before the Israel-Iran war, which broke out in June, and the U.S. involvement in the conflict.
It’s also important to note that when participants were asked what the main threat to their country was, they were given complete freedom instead of being forced to choose from a list. This highlights how most Canadians truly consider the U.S. a real danger.
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Canadians Continue To Avoid The U.S.
Considering how many Canadians now mention the U.S. when asked what their greatest threat is, it’s not surprising that people are opting for other holiday destinations. According to data published by Statistics Canada, the number of Canadians traveling to the U.S. is in regular decline.
Preliminary cross-border travel data show that Canadian-resident return trips by automobile from the United States have fallen sharply since the start of the year.
In May, return car trips from the U.S. to Canada dropped by 38.1% on a year-over-year basis. The same can be said for air travel, which recorded a 24.2% decline in May. As tension between the two countries grows and negative sentiments towards the U.S. increase, it now seems that cross-border travel will continue declining in the upcoming months.
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