--- title: "Trump hints at reviving Keystone XL pipeline in Canada trade talks" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/business/trump-hints-at-reviving-keystone-xl-pipeline-in-canada-trade-talks" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/trump-hints-at-reviving-keystone-xl-pipeline-in-canada-trade-talks" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/business/trump-hints-at-reviving-keystone-xl-pipeline-in-canada-trade-talks.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/trump-hints-at-reviving-keystone-xl-pipeline-in-canada-trade-talks" category: "Business & Economy" area: "United States" published: "2026-08-19T16:47:22.160Z" source_reported: "2026-08-19T15:56:02.000Z" updated: "2026-08-19T17:15:25.867Z" trust_score: 65 critic_score: 55 hype_score: 35 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-08-19T17:53:54.962Z" --- # Trump hints at reviving Keystone XL pipeline in Canada trade talks *U.S. president suspends tariffs on Canadian goods for three days ahead of a potential deal involving the cancelled project* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 65 of 100, higher is better. 14 digests agree on central claim; CTV report adds named sources and documents. - Craft 55 of 100, higher is better. CTV report quotes affected parties; digests lack context and next steps. - Hype 35 of 100, lower is better. Western Journal headline overstates certainty; others are measured. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - Donald Trump posted on Truth Social on 18 August 2026 that the Keystone XL pipeline, cancelled by Joe Biden in 2021, may be revived as part of a trade deal with Canada. - Trump suspended 50% tariffs on Canadian goods for three days ahead of the announcement, as reported by CTV News. - The pipeline, proposed in 2008, would carry Canadian crude oil to the U.S. Gulf Coast but faced legal and environmental opposition before its cancellation. - Prime Minister Mark Carney’s statement on the trade deal did not mention the pipeline, and its inclusion in the agreement is uncertain. U.S. President Donald Trump indicated on 18 August 2026 that the Keystone XL pipeline could be revived as part of a trade agreement with Canada. In a post on Truth Social, Trump announced the suspension of 50% tariffs on Canadian goods for three days, two hours before they were set to take effect. He suggested the pipeline, cancelled by President Joe Biden in January 2021, might be "awoken from the grave." The post included an AI-generated image of Trump lifting the pipeline from a gravesite labelled "Buried by Biden." The Keystone XL pipeline was first proposed in 2008 by TC Energy Corp. and ConocoPhillips. It was intended to carry Canadian crude oil from Hardisty, Alberta, to Steele City, Nebraska, and eventually to the U.S. Gulf Coast. The project faced repeated legal challenges and environmental opposition. Barack Obama rejected it in 2012, citing insufficient time to review a revised route. Trump approved it in 2017, but construction was halted when Biden revoked its permit on his first day in office. Prime Minister Mark Carney’s statement on the trade deal did not reference the pipeline. Alberta Liberal MP Corey Hogan told CTV News in March 2026 that the project was being used as leverage in trade negotiations. The Toronto Star reported that the pipeline’s role in the deal remains unclear. CTV News political analyst Eric Ham said Trump has prioritised energy in negotiations, citing past actions on oil and gas. ## Where the reports disagree CTV News reported that Trump’s Truth Social post explicitly linked the pipeline’s revival to the trade deal. The Western Journal stated that Trump indicated the pipeline could be part of the deal but did not confirm it was included. The Toronto Star reported that the pipeline’s role in the agreement is unclear. ## What the coverage left out None of the digests from left-rated outlets mentioned the 50% tariffs Trump suspended or the three-day timeline for their suspension. The right-rated digest did not include details on the pipeline’s history, its environmental opposition, or its cancellation by Biden. The centre-rated digests did not provide context on the pipeline’s legal challenges or its significance to U.S.-Canada trade relations. ## Who covered it Shares of the 18 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 61% (11) - Centre: 33% (6) - Right: 6% (1) 0 of 18 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-08-19T17:53:54.962Z. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 3 times; 1 check found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-08-19T18:30:46.243Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left - The eight left-rated digests led on Trump’s suggestion that the Keystone XL pipeline could be revived as part of trade negotiations. The Toronto Star’s digest noted that the pipeline’s role in the deal remains unclear. The Independent’s digest highlighted the contrast between Trump’s support for the project and the positions of his predecessors, Barack Obama and Joe Biden. - CTV News, the only left-rated outlet with a full report, detailed the pipeline’s history, including its cancellation by Biden in 2021 and the environmental and legal opposition it faced. The report quoted Trump’s post directly and included an AI-generated image of the pipeline being lifted from a gravesite. It also noted that Prime Minister Carney did not mention the pipeline in his statement on the trade deal. ### Centre - The six centre-rated digests led on the suspension of tariffs and Trump’s suggestion that the Keystone XL pipeline could be revived. None of the digests provided additional context on the pipeline’s history or its potential inclusion in the trade deal. CTV News, the only centre-rated outlet with a full report, provided a detailed account of the pipeline’s background, including its legal challenges and the roles of Obama and Biden in its cancellation. ### Right - The Western Journal’s digest stated that Trump indicated the Keystone XL pipeline could be revived as part of the trade deal with Canada. The report did not provide further details on the pipeline’s history or its potential role in the agreement. **Provisional coverage gap:** right. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - mixed: 1 - high: 13 - veryHigh: 4 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [The Record](https://therecord.com/politics/federal/a-look-back-at-the-keystone-xl-pipeline-drama-as-trump-touts-its-potential-revival/article_b3858bab-c023-5025-abb0-c0676f621041.html) — A look back at the Keystone XL pipeline drama as Trump touts its potential revival - [SooToday.com](https://sootoday.com/national-news/a-look-back-at-the-keystone-xl-pipeline-drama-as-trump-touts-its-potential-revival-12682666) — A look back at the Keystone XL pipeline drama as Trump touts its potential revival - [Elora Fergus Today](https://elorafergustoday.com/national-news/a-look-back-at-the-keystone-xl-pipeline-drama-as-trump-touts-its-potential-revival-12682666) — A look back at the Keystone XL pipeline drama as Trump touts its potential revival - [Battlefords NOW](https://battlefordsnow.com/2026/08/19/a-look-back-at-the-keystone-xl-pipeline-drama-as-trump-touts-its-potential-revival) — A look back at the Keystone XL pipeline drama as Trump touts its potential revival - [meadowlakeNOW](https://meadowlakenow.com/2026/08/19/a-look-back-at-the-keystone-xl-pipeline-drama-as-trump-touts-its-potential-revival) — A look back at the Keystone XL pipeline drama as Trump touts its potential revival - [Sudbury](https://sudbury.com/national/a-look-back-at-the-keystone-xl-pipeline-drama-as-trump-touts-its-potential-revival-12682666) — A look back at the Keystone XL pipeline drama as Trump touts its potential revival - [Bay Today](https://baytoday.ca/national-news/a-look-back-at-the-keystone-xl-pipeline-drama-as-trump-touts-its-potential-revival-12682666) — A look back at the Keystone XL pipeline drama as Trump touts its potential revival - [Medicine Hat News](https://medicinehatnews.com/news/national-news/2026/08/19/a-look-back-at-the-keystone-xl-pipeline-drama-as-trump-touts-its-potential-revival) — A look back at the Keystone XL pipeline drama as Trump touts its potential revival - [Ckpg Today](https://ckpgtoday.ca/2026/08/19/a-look-back-at-the-keystone-xl-pipeline-drama-as-trump-touts-its-potential-revival) — A look back at the Keystone XL pipeline drama as Trump touts its potential revival - [The Lethbridge Herald](https://lethbridgeherald.com/news/national-news/2026/08/19/a-look-back-at-the-keystone-xl-pipeline-drama-as-trump-touts-its-potential-revival) — A look back at the Keystone XL pipeline drama as Trump touts its potential revival - [Coast Reporter](https://coastreporter.net/the-mix/a-look-back-at-the-keystone-xl-pipeline-drama-as-trump-touts-its-potential-revival-12682585) — A look back at the Keystone XL pipeline drama as Trump touts its potential revival - [Orillia Matters](https://orilliamatters.com/national-news/a-look-back-at-the-keystone-xl-pipeline-drama-as-trump-touts-its-potential-revival-12682666) — A look back at the Keystone XL pipeline drama as Trump touts its potential revival - [The Western Journal](https://westernjournal.com/alert-trump-resurrects-keystone-xl-pipeline-cryptic-truth-social-post-moments-announcing-trade-deal-canada) — Alert: Trump Resurrects Keystone XL Pipeline in Cryptic Truth Social Post, Moments After Announcing Trade Deal With Canada - [CTV News](https://ctvnews.ca/canada/article/why-is-trump-talking-about-the-keystone-xl-project) — Why is Trump talking about the Keystone XL project? - [The Toronto Star](https://thestar.com/rolling-file/keystone-xl-is-back-on-the-table-but-its-role-in-the-trade-deal-remains-unclear/article_adb16a34-c674-42b3-88b7-f8ca3710a092.html) — Keystone XL is back on the table. But its role in the trade deal remains unclear - [The Hamilton Spectator](https://thespec.com/business/a-look-back-at-the-keystone-xl-pipeline-drama-as-trump-touts-its-potential-revival/article_98449f99-5ddc-5465-b2b8-f242b7b42153.html) — A look back at the Keystone XL pipeline drama as Trump touts its potential revival - [Winnipeg Free Press](https://winnipegfreepress.com/business/2026/08/19/a-look-back-at-the-keystone-xl-pipeline-drama-as-trump-touts-its-potential-revival) — A look back at the Keystone XL pipeline drama as Trump touts its potential revival - [The Independent](https://independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-keystone-pipeline-canada-carney-b3035455.html) — Trump hints at bringing Keystone oil pipeline project ‘back from the grave’ ## Questions **What is the Keystone XL pipeline?** The Keystone XL pipeline was proposed in 2008 to carry Canadian crude oil from Alberta to the U.S. Gulf Coast. It faced legal and environmental opposition before being cancelled by President Joe Biden in January 2021. The project would have expanded oil exports to the U.S. by over 12%. **Why did Trump suggest reviving the Keystone XL pipeline?** Donald Trump hinted at reviving the pipeline in a Truth Social post on 18 August 2026, linking it to a trade deal with Canada. He suspended 50% tariffs on Canadian goods for three days ahead of the announcement, suggesting the pipeline could be part of the agreement. **What role does the pipeline play in the trade deal?** The pipeline’s role in the trade deal remains unclear. Prime Minister Mark Carney’s statement did not mention it, and the Toronto Star reported that its inclusion is uncertain. Trump’s post suggested it could be revived, but no details have been confirmed. **Which outlets reported on the pipeline’s history?** CTV News provided the most detailed account of the pipeline’s history, including its legal challenges, environmental opposition, and cancellation by Biden. Other outlets, including digests from left and centre-rated sources, focused on Trump’s suggestion of revival without additional context. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/business/trump-hints-at-reviving-keystone-xl-pipeline-in-canada-trade-talks. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "Trump hints at reviving Keystone XL pipeline in Canada trade talks", https://mediabias.news/business/trump-hints-at-reviving-keystone-xl-pipeline-in-canada-trade-talks