On Thursday, President Donald Trump halted trade discussions with Canada, accusing the country of airing a “dishonest” advertisement that misquoted former President Ronald Reagan in an anti-tariff campaign.
Earlier this year, Trump began implementing import tariffs on Canadian steel, aluminum, and automobiles.
The disputed ad, released by Ontario’s government, cited Reagan as stating that tariffs “hurt all Americans.”
Trump quickly reacted by posting, “The Ronald Reagan Foundation just announced that Canada has fraudulently used a fake ad featuring Ronald Reagan speaking negatively about tariffs.”
He added, “The ad was $75,000. They did this just to interfere with the decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court and other courts. Tariffs are critical to our national security and economy. Based on their egregious actions, all trade negotiations with Canada are hereby ended.”
In response to Prime Minister Mark Carney’s comment about Canada aiming to double its economy by exporting more to countries besides the U.S., Trump emphasized the potential impact of his tariffs.
Meanwhile, the Ronald Reagan Foundation stated that the ad used “selective” audio and video, distorting the former president’s remarks. The foundation criticized the Ontario government for misrepresenting Reagan’s speech and claimed it did not seek permission to use and edit his words.
The organization mentioned it was “considering its legal options.”
As the Canadian Prime Minister prepares to leave for a summit in Asia, President Trump is also scheduled to attend a similar summit later that evening.
Notably, over three-quarters of Canada’s exports are directed toward the United States, with goods and services worth C$3.6 billion (about US$2.7 billion) crossing the border daily.
