Trump denies interfering with French language in Canada, calls idea 'stupid thing'
U.S. President Donald Trump denied interfering with Canadians' French language, calling the idea a "stupid thing" in a Truth Social post Tuesday, days before Quebec's provincial election. Trump's denial follows last Friday's breakdown in U.S.-Canada trade talks, which Prime Minister Mark Carney attributed to American demands threatening French-language protections, including subsidies for French media and bilingual labelling requirements. Carney said Monday that U.S. negotiators viewed Quebec's streaming content discoverability rules as an "irritant." Quebec's Bill 109, enacted December 2025, mandates French content on streaming platforms, while Bill 96's labelling rules were flagged by Washington in early 2025.