Republican lawmakers are publicly supporting President Donald Trump in his trade dispute with Canada, placing blame on Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s administration for walking out of negotiations.

A group of GOP House members convened on Capitol Hill for a private meeting with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer to discuss tariffs.

While some Republicans are privately worried that escalating tariffs could harm their chances in the upcoming midterm elections, those who spoke with CBC News after the meeting generally expressed solidarity with the president’s trade tactics.

Texas Representative August Pfluger commended Trump for bringing back manufacturing jobs to the U.S. and accused Ottawa of fueling the trade conflict.

“Canada is fueling this dispute,” Pfluger told CBC News. “It’s time for Canadians to be reasonable. They have been exploiting the U.S. for a long time.”

Brian Mast, a congressman from Florida, also pointed fingers at Canada for the breakdown in trade negotiations.

“They were given a very favorable deal, more generous than any other country, and they turned their back on it,” Mast told CBC News.

At the White House, Trump reiterated his belief that Canada has been taking advantage of the U.S. in trade for a long time, specifically mentioning restrictions on U.S. bank operations in Canada as a major grievance.

On Capitol Hill, South Carolina Representative Ralph Norman raised concerns about the impact of the trade dispute on voters in his district.

Norman emphasized the importance of addressing how tariffs are affecting each state and expressed optimism that the White House would consider these concerns seriously.

Despite public opposition to Trump’s tariffs, several Congressional Republicans stood by the president’s stance on the trade conflict with Canada, echoing his arguments.

Missouri Representative Eric Burlison warned against Canada imposing retaliatory tariffs on U.S. exports, stating that Canada needs the U.S. more than the U.S. needs Canada.