Marc Short, who previously served as chief of staff to former Vice President Mike Pence, commented on Sunday that President Trump’s response to a Canadian advertisement featuring former President Ronald Reagan seems to reflect a “world turned upside down.”
During an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Short questioned, “What is this national emergency in Ontario that is prompting them to run ads featuring Ronald Reagan?” He continued, “What justifies calling this a national emergency? It’s astonishing how upside-down things are today, with Canada’s somewhat socialist economy airing ads showcasing one of America’s greatest presidents, a Republican president who is criticizing Reagan’s words, while having more key figures in his administration than any Democratic administration in the last century.” He summed it up by saying, “We live in a completely upside-down world.”
During Trump’s first nine months in his second term, his tariff policies strained relations with U.S. allies, including the European Union and Mexico, leading to economic instability.
The mayor of Ontario defended the ad, which included Reagan’s comments critical of Trump’s tariffs. Mayor Patrick Brown expressed his support for Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s strategy on CBC’s “Rosemary Barton Live.” He stated, “Sometimes, you need to make a significant point to provoke a response.”
Last week, Trump decided to halt trade negotiations with Canada due to the advertisement. The campaign launched earlier in October aimed to target the U.S., which opposes the tariffs.
The Wall Street Journal’s editorial board weighed in on Trump’s response, arguing, “Mr. Trump was incorrect about Reagan’s speech. He was also mistaken when he claimed on social media that ‘President Ronald Reagan favored tariffs for national security and economic purposes.’”
The White House was contacted for comment.
