U.S. President Donald Trump shared news of the B.C. Conservatives’ majority government win in an Oct. 25 post on Truth Social.
Trump shared a link to a report by media outlet Just the News, reposting its headline: “Conservative Party wins in British Columbia for first time in almost 100 years.” The president made no other comment in the post.
U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra shared Trump’s post on X the same day.
As of the evening of Oct. 25, the B.C. Conservatives had won or were leading in 63 ridings, while the NDP had won or were leading in 28 and the Greens in two, following the province’s Oct. 24 snap election, which resulted in the defeat of the incumbent NDP government.
The B.C. NDP previously secured 47 seats after winning a slim majority in the October 2024 election, with the Conservatives winning 44 seats and the Green Party wining 2.
The B.C. Conservatives’ victory marks the party’s first win in the province since 1928, when Simon Fraser Tolmie led the party to victory.
Incumbent Premier and NDP Leader David Eby called the snap election on Sept. 22, initially framing it as a response to an “existential moment” due to the Trump presidency and his tariffs. As he faced further questions at press conferences about why he called an early election with more than two years left in his term, Eby said he needed greater certainty given his party’s narrow majority. Shortly before the election, he said he regretted not making this clear earlier.
Eby also told reporters he was seeking a clear mandate from British Columbians to choose between an NDP government and a Conservative one, which he said would acquiesce to U.S. demands.
Premier-designate Lorne Doerkson has also criticized Trump’s tariffs on Canada.
“Standing up to Donald Trump comes from taking real action, not press releases,” Doerkson said. “British Columbians should judge governments by what they deliver, not what they announce.”
The B.C. NDP’s loss after campaigning on a response to the Trump presidency contrasts with the victories of Ontario’s Progressive Conservatives in February 2025 and the federal Liberals in April 2025, both of which placed a heavy focus on responding to Trump.
