US Justice Department Antitrust Division Ordered to Pause All Work With Canadian Government Amid Trade Dispute

The U.S. Justice Department's antitrust division was instructed earlier this week to pause all cooperation with the Canadian government, according to internal emails reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. The directive was issued amid the ongoing trade dispute between the two countries, which has included high tariff threats and collapsed trade negotiations in recent weeks.

The suspension of antitrust cooperation marks a significant escalation, extending the trade conflict into law enforcement and regulatory channels that typically operate independently of diplomatic and commercial tensions. The WSJ reported the instruction was issued to the division broadly, halting all work with Canadian counterparts.