Trump Halts Trade Discussions With Canada Due to ‘Fake’ Ronald Reagan Advertisement on Tariffs

Trump Ends Trade Negotiations with Canada Over Controversial Ad

Late Thursday, President Donald Trump declared that trade discussions with Canada are effectively “ending here.” This decision follows what he described as “terrible behavior” over an Ontario television advertisement that used the voice of former President Ronald Reagan to criticize tariffs.

The ad, funded by the government of Ontario Premier Doug Ford, is part of a significant advertising campaign running across major U.S. networks. In it, President Reagan cautions that although tariffs may appear patriotic, they ultimately “hurt all American workers and consumers.”

Trump expressed his discontent, stating, “They did this solely to block the decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court and other courts. Tariffs are very important to our national security and economy.” He went on to announce on his platform that, due to Canada’s behavior, all negotiations regarding trade would be terminated.

Ford, for his part, shared the ad online, emphasizing Ontario’s continued advocacy against U.S. tariffs, captioning it, “We will never stop advocating against U.S. tariffs on Canada with every tool we have. The path to prosperity is working together.”

The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Research Institute criticized the ad for misrepresenting President Reagan’s 1987 radio address on fair trade. They mentioned that the Ontario government had not sought permission to use the recordings and hinted at potential legal action.

In a post on Friday, Trump accused Canada of “cheating,” insisting that Reagan actually supported tariffs aimed at protecting U.S. interests.

The ad combines audio snippets from Reagan’s original speech with his legitimate remarks about tariffs, where he acknowledged the temporary appeal of such measures but noted that they are not always beneficial in the long run. Interestingly, Reagan’s comments about ensuring fair trade practices in specific contexts were left out of the ad.

Since taking office, Trump has introduced tariffs on various Canadian imports, claiming these actions are vital for the protection of U.S. manufacturing and national security.

The Supreme Court is set to deliberate in November on whether the administration exceeded its authority when invoking the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose reciprocal tariffs on many countries, Canada included. Currently, tariffs on items like steel and aluminum remain uncontested as they align with established precedents from the previous administration.

This latest move marks the second time this year that Trump has called off trade negotiations with Canada. He had previously paused discussions in June after Canada introduced a digital services tax on American tech companies, although that measure was retracted just two days later.