Carney Apologizes to Trump Over Controversial Ad
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has reached out to President Donald Trump to express his regret over an anti-tariff political advertisement that utilized the voice of former President Ronald Reagan to critique Trump’s trade strategies.
Carney confirmed his apology to reporters following his attendance at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in South Korea on Saturday. He mentioned that he advised Ontario Premier Doug Ford against airing the ads during a dinner hosted by the South Korean president earlier in the week.
“I told Ford I didn’t want to move forward with the advertising,” Carney explained. “The president was offended by the act, or rather the advertisement.”
The ad had gained considerable attention, having been discussed across several major news networks.
In response to the advertisement’s publication, the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute issued a statement asserting that the ad “misrepresents” Reagan’s remarks through “selective audio and video,” indicating that the Ontario government had not sought permission to use and edit the comments.
President Trump took to Truth Social shortly after the ad’s release, labeling it as “deceptive” and suggesting that it was intended to undermine the Supreme Court’s ruling on tariffs. Subsequently, he announced the termination of “all trade negotiations with Canada,” which prompted Carney to issue his apology and withdraw the ad.
Ford, for his part, defended the advertisement’s creation, asserting, “We created a conversation that wasn’t happening in the United States. Now every local media outlet in the U.S. is talking about this ad.”
Trump also commented on Carney’s apology, describing it as courteous and highlighting that Carney acknowledged the advertisement as “very false.”
It remains uncertain if the president will resume negotiations with Canada post-apology, but Carney indicated that his current journey to Asia is aimed at reducing Canada’s reliance on the United States.
“It’s not going to happen overnight, but we’re moving very quickly,” Carney stated.
