Key facts
- The U.S. Justice Department's antitrust division denied a report that it was instructed to pause cooperation with the Canadian government.
- The department stated the "alleged direction was never given to anyone."
- The division was asked to "temporarily hold off on a scheduled meeting on a specific investigation until the DOJ's antitrust team had more time to prepare."
- The initial report cited emails and linked the alleged pause to an escalating trade dispute between the U.S. and Canada.
- President Donald Trump has previously made statements suggesting Canada should be an American state and ordered Lake Ontario renamed "Lake America" for U.S. federal government purposes.