Ottawa, Canada - Former transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg told Canadians that President Donald Trump's administration has provoked a "storm" in their country's relations with the US.

"I did not imagine we would find ourselves in a moment like this," Buttigieg said in a speech at dinner hosted by a progressive Canadian think tank, per CBC.

"The first thing I want to say is: I get it. And most of us get it," he insisted, referring to souring attitudes towards the US among Canadians.

He stressed that the actions of the Trump administration – which has threatened Canada with annexation and devastating tariffs – do not reflect the desires and views of the vast majority of US citizens.

"What's happening between us is a storm that's been provoked by what one government is doing, rather than something that calls into question the fundamentals of our relationship," Buttigieg said.

He pointed to Prime Minister Mark Carney's successful election campaign earlier this year, which harnessed widespread outrage at the aggressive US stance to pull off a surprise win, as a positive sign for the fundamental relations between the two countries.

"In a way, that did not make us feel alienated from Canada," he explained. "It did not signal a further step in the direction of rupture, but rather the kind of difficult realignment that happens with actual friends."

Buttigieg, a former Democratic mayor and presidential candidate, is seen as a potential Democratic nominee for the 2028 election cycle.