WASHINGTON — Former Michigan Congressman Pete Hoekstra, who is President Donald Trump's pick to be U.S. ambassador to Canada, affirmed his support for Canada's sovereignty while testifying Thursday before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.

Hoekstra noted, however, that he could not control the president's public remarks that Canada should become America's 51st state.

"Canada is a solid state, yes," he said. "How the president and the relationship between the former prime minister in Canada — the characteristics and nature of that relationship — I don't know."

Hoekstra is appearing on a panel with Trump's nominees for ambassador to Mexico and Japan ― Ronald Johnson of Florida and George Glass of Oregon, respectively.

The hearing comes amid a swiftly escalating trade war between the United States and Canada, with Trump imposing on-again-off-again tariffs on America's northern neighbor and closest trading partner, and angering Canadian leaders with his repeated suggestions that Canada should agree to be annexed into the U.S.

"My home state is connected to Canada by four and soon to be five, bridge crossings along maritime board, across the Great Lakes, vital lakes that drive businesses, jobs and livelihood in both states," Hoekstra said in his opening remarks, referencing the Gordie Howe International Bridge set to open later this year between Detroit and Windsor.

"If confirmed, I will work tirelessly to build on that record of cooperation extended, obviously nationally," Hoekstra added. "I think there's 36 states that see Canada as their No. 1 trading partner internationally."

His initial remarks did not address the ongoing trade and security dispute between the U.S. and Canada. Trump has insisted that Canada is unfairly "subsidized" by American consumers and is not doing enough to stop the trade of the illicit drug fentanyl.

U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, the committee's ranking Democratic member, later asked Hoekstra how he would approach "turning around" the negative relationship that has developed "because of Trump's statements" and actions toward Canada.

The New Hampshire senator noted booing of the U.S. national anthem at ice hockey games in Canada and a recent Leger poll suggesting only 30% of Canadians still view the United States as an ally. She also said that Canadian border security agents "interdicted more drugs from the United States than we interdicted from Canada."

"Let's be honest about what's happening here," Shaheen said.

Responding to the senator, Hoekstra recalled his previous experience as Trump's ambassador to the Netherlands during the president's first term. He said there was "a lot of hostility or concern about some of the objectives of the first Trump administration," but he worked through that hostility by "focusing on the strength of the relationship between our two countries."

Hoekstra added that the United States and Canada “have a great history of working together,” but did not offer more specifics on how he would repair the now-strained partnership. He committed to pursuing Trump’s priority of “freer, fairer trade so that we can actually grow the business relationship.”

Hoekstra, 71, is a former nine-term congressman from west Michigan who most recently served as chair of the Michigan Republican Party. He was Trump's ambassador to the Netherlands during his first term, winning confirmation in 2017 by a unanimous voice vote in the Senate.

"He did an outstanding job as United States ambassador to the Netherlands during our first four years, and I am confident that he will continue to represent our country well in this new role," Trump said in announcing his intent to nominate Hoekstra back in November.

Trump's nomination of Hoekstra comes months after Hoekstra oversaw the state GOP's operations during the 2024 presidential campaign, after which Trump won Michigan by about 2 percentage points, 50% to 48%, over Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris.

Hoekstra was born in the Netherlands in Groningen in 1953 and came to the United States at age 3 with his parents, who settled in the Dutch American stronghold of Holland. He became a U.S. citizen at age 9.

"It was the allies that liberated my parents of the Netherlands during World War II. Specifically, it was the Canadians that liberated the parts of the Netherlands where my parents lived," Hoekstra said. "So they are deeply appreciative for the service of Canada and America in liberating the Netherlands."

He attended Holland Christian High School and graduated from Hope College in 1975. He then earned a master’s in business administration from the University of Michigan. He went on to work for office furniture manufacturer Herman Miller, where he eventually served as vice president of marketing.

Hoekstra served in the U.S. House from 1993 to 2011, chairing the House intelligence committee. He ran for governor unsuccessfully in 2010 and for the U.S. Senate unsuccessfully in 2012.

After leaving Congress, he lobbied for the firms Greenberg Traurig and Dickstein Shapiro and later started his own firm, Hoekstra Global Strategies. His clients included Columbia Helicopters and the Michigan-based oil production company Core Energy, as well as some foreign clients including the Kurdish regional government.

If confirmed, Hoekstra would not be the first Michigan political figure to serve as ambassador to Canada. Then-President Bill Clinton, a Democrat, nominated former Gov. Jim Blanchard to fill the position in 1993.

In 2017, about five weeks passed between Hoekstra's hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and his confirmation on the floor of the Senate.

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(Detroit News staff writer Craig Mauger contributed to this story.)

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