Trump Officials Secretly Met Group Pushing For Oil-Rich Alberta's Independence From Canada: Report

Last Updated:January 29, 2026, 22:24 IST

The report said US officials held at least three meetings since April 2025 with representatives of the Alberta Prosperity Project.

US President Donald Trump | File Image

Senior officials from US president Donald Trump’s administration quietly met multiple times with a separatist group advocating independence for Canada’s oil-rich province of Alberta, according to a report by the Financial Times.

The report said US officials held at least three meetings since April 2025 with representatives of the Alberta Prosperity Project, an organisation pushing for the province to break away from Canada.

The group is now seeking another meeting next month, where it plans to pitch a proposed $500 billion credit facility to help finance Alberta in the event an independence referendum, yet to be formally announced, is approved.

Jeff Rath, legal counsel for the Alberta Prosperity Project, told the Financial Times that there was strong interest from the US side. “The United States is extremely enthusiastic about a free and independent Alberta," Rath was quoted as saying.

Both the US State Department and the White House, however, sought to downplay the significance of the interactions.

A State Department spokesperson said the meetings were routine and carried no policy weight.

“The department regularly meets with civil society groups. As is standard in such engagements, no commitments were made," the spokesperson said.

A White House official echoed that view, stating that administration officials engage with a wide range of organisations and that no support or assurances were offered.

The report has nonetheless drawn attention in light of recent remarks by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who described Alberta as a “natural partner" for the United States.

In an interview, Bessent pointed to the province’s resource wealth and independent political streak, noting speculation about a possible referendum on Alberta’s future within Canada. “People want sovereignty. They want what the US has got," he said.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has firmly rejected any suggestion of the province joining the United States.

“The overwhelming majority of Albertans are not interested," her spokesperson Sam Blackett said. He added that Smith supports “a strong and sovereign Alberta within a united Canada."

Alberta is a critical pillar of Canada’s energy sector, accounting for roughly 85 per cent of the country’s oil production. Canada is the world’s fourth-largest oil producer.

Meanwhile, separatist sentiment continues to find some traction on the ground. Another group, Stay Free Alberta, has been organising town halls and petition drives across the province.

If campaigners accredited by Elections Alberta collect more than 177,000 verified signatures, the process for holding a referendum on Alberta’s independence could be triggered later this year.

Despite the reported US contacts, both Washington and Alberta’s provincial leadership have publicly sought to distance themselves from any notion of external backing for a separatist push.

News world Trump Officials Secretly Met Group Pushing For Oil-Rich Alberta's Independence From Canada: Report

Read More