President Donald Trump has announced an end to “all trade negotiations” with Canada, citing anger over a television commercial sponsored by the province of Ontario that uses Ronald Reagan’s words to oppose U.S. tariffs. The move escalates tensions with Washington’s closest trading partner.
Trump’s post on his social media platform late Thursday came shortly after Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney reiterated his intention to boost the country’s exports to markets beyond the United States, saying Trump’s tariff threats were driving the shift. White House officials said the president’s response reflected deep frustration over Canada’s recent trade strategy.
By Friday afternoon, Ontario Premier Doug Ford agreed to pull the ad, saying it will stop airing after the weekend so negotiations can restart. He said the message had already reached “U.S. audiences at the highest levels.”
“Our intention was always to initiate a conversation about the kind of economy that Americans want to build and the impact of tariffs on workers and businesses,” Ford said, adding that the campaign had “achieved our goal.”
Trump argued the ad distorted Reagan’s stance and was aimed at influencing a looming Supreme Court case that could determine the president’s authority to impose sweeping tariffs, a cornerstone of his economic agenda. He has indicated he may personally attend the court arguments.
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“You know, it’s a crooked ad,” Trump told reporters Friday before leaving for Asia. “They could have pulled it tonight. Well, that’s dirty play — but I can play dirtier than they can, you know.”
The dispute grew after the Reagan Presidential Foundation said the ad “misrepresents” a 1987 radio address on free and fair trade and was used without permission.
Trump claimed online the advertisement was “FAKE” and said, “ALL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITH CANADA ARE HEREBY TERMINATED.”
While Reagan routinely warned against tariffs, Trump maintains they are vital to America’s security and economy.
Officials at the White House suggested the reaction was not solely about the ad. “It’s not just about one ad,” said Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council, pointing to Canada’s “lack of flexibility” and “leftover behaviors from the Trudeau folks.”
Carney said Canada remains open to talks to reduce tariffs in key sectors, though he acknowledged American trade policy has “fundamentally changed.” Trump, however, dismissed the possibility of meeting Carney at the ASEAN summit in Malaysia, where both are traveling.
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Ontario invested more than $275,000 to air the Reagan-themed ad across most major U.S. media markets this month. It follows previous trade tensions between Ford and Trump, including retaliatory tariff exchanges that hit Canada’s auto industry hardest. Earlier this month, automaker Stellantis revealed plans to shift a production line from Ontario to Illinois due to the tariff dispute.
Despite the current freeze, more than three-quarters of Canada’s exports still head to the United States, with nearly $2.7 billion in goods and services crossing the border each day.
Source: AP