Trump Officials Met Multiple Times With Canadian Far-Right Separatist Group

According to multiple media outlets, members of the Trump organization met several times in 2025 with leaders of a far-right Canadian separatist group, notably the Alberta Prosperity Project (APP), which advocates for Alberta's independence from Canada. The meetings, held in Washington with U.S. State Department officials, centered on requests from the group for political and financial backing in the event an independence referendum were to pass. According to the Financial Times, APP representatives sought a $500 billion credit facility to help bankroll an independent Alberta. The reports emerged days after U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent described Alberta as a «natural partner» of the United States, adding that he had heard «rumour that they may have a referendum on whether they want to stay in Canada or not.»

Recent reporting has raised concerns over attempts by the U.S. president, senior Trump officials and prominent MAGA-aligned influencers to interfere in Canada's internal political affairs, as tensions between Washington and Prime Minister Mark Carney's federal government in Ottawa have intensified. The strain was underscored at the recent World Economic Forum in Davos, where Carney used a high-profile speech to defend Canada's sovereignty, stress democratic self-determination, and warn against economic and political coercion by larger powers. His remarks came as Donald Trump, who in the past referred to Justin Trudeau as a «governor», has echoed similar language toward Carney and openly spoken about annexing Canada. Those comments have coincided with reports of multiple meetings between Trump-linked figures and Canadian separatist groups, amplifying concerns in Ottawa over efforts to undermine Canada's territorial integrity.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has repeatedly weighed in on Alberta in recent appearances, including a recent interview on Real America's Voice, where he claimed that Canada did not want a new pipeline project. His remarks came even as Prime Minister Mark Carney is in active discussions with Alberta's premier over a proposed pipeline linking Alberta to British Columbia, underscoring growing tensions and mixed signals from Washington. Bessent appeared to muddy the waters by striking a more accommodating tone toward Alberta's energy ambitions, saying «They have great resources.» He added, «I think we should let them come down into the U.S., and Alberta's a natural partner for the U.S», comments that critics say blur the line between economic commentary and interference in Canada's internal policy debates.

A member of the Alberta Prosperity Project, Jeff Rath, the group's legal counsel who attended several of the meetings with U.S. officials, claimed that Washington was supportive of the separatist cause. According to the Financial Times, Rath said «The US is extremely enthusiastic about a free and independent Alberta», boasting that the group enjoys «much stronger relationship» with the United States than the Canadian prime minister does. His comments come as Alberta's independence push remains at an early procedural stage: while the proposed referendum question has been approved by Elections Alberta, organizers must still appoint a financial officer and collect the required signatures before any vote can be formally triggered.

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