Last week, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney spoke about the growing tension between Canada and the White House, saying President Trump had created a “rupture” in the global order.
Amid that backdrop, senior Trump administration officials have been quietly meeting with a far-right Canadian group that wants to break the country apart.
The talks involved the Alberta Prosperity Project, a separatist movement pushing for Alberta, the oil-rich western province, to become independent. Sources familiar with the discussions say the group has been trying to exploit the growing divide between Canada and the U.S.
According to the Financial Times, representatives from the Alberta Prosperity Project met with U.S. State Department officials in Washington, D.C., 3 times over the past 9 months. Jeff Rath, the group’s legal counsel, attended the meetings and said they were met with enthusiasm.
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“The U.S. is extremely enthusiastic about a free and independent Alberta,” Rath told the publication. He added that the meetings reached the highest levels of government.
“We’re meeting very, very senior people leaving our meetings to go directly to the Oval Office,” he claimed.
The separatists are now seeking another meeting in February, where they plan to request massive financial backing if Alberta votes for independence. Those familiar with the plan say they hope for a $500 billion credit facility to support the province if a referendum passes. No vote has been scheduled yet.
U.S. officials have tried to distance themselves from the group’s ambitions.
A State Department spokesperson confirmed the meetings happened but said “no commitments were made.” A White House official echoed that stance, saying “no such support, or any other commitments, was conveyed.”
A source familiar with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said neither he nor his team was aware of any request for financial help and had no intention of engaging with one.
Still, critics in Canada say the very fact the talks occurred is worrying. Carlo Dade, a spokesperson for the Canada West Foundation, dismissed the separatist leaders as “attention seekers.”
He accused U.S. officials of deepening divisions in Canada.
“The Americans are more than happy to continue to play Canadians off each other,” Dade said.
The controversy escalated after Bessent made remarks that seemed to validate the separatists’ narrative during an interview with right-wing streaming channel Real America’s Voice.
“Alberta’s a natural partner for the U.S. They have great resources. The Albertans are very independent people,” Bessent said. “Rumor is they may have a referendum on whether they want to stay in Canada or not.”
He made the comments while complaining that Alberta has a “wealth of natural resources” but is blocked from building a pipeline to the Pacific Ocean.
Earlier this month, Trump also shared a Truth Social post featuring an AI-generated map showing Canada, Greenland, and Venezuela draped in an American flag.
Featured image via YouTube screengrab
