Trump Ends U.S.-Canada Trade Talks Over Ontario Reagan Ad
President Donald Trump has halted all U.S. trade negotiations with Canada, citing an advertisement from Ontario that features former President Ronald Reagan criticizing tariffs. Trump described the ad as “fake” and claimed it misrepresented Reagan’s views on tariffs. The advertisement was part of Ontario’s campaign, which Ontario Premier Doug Ford emphasized was intended to demonstrate that friendship between the United States and Canada is beneficial.
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute criticized the ad, asserting it distorted Reagan’s original intent. The foundation indicated that the ad misled viewers by suggesting Reagan opposed tariffs, when he actually supported them at times. In response, Ford tweeted a link to Reagan’s unedited speech, where Reagan states that high tariffs can lead to retaliatory trade wars and artificially inflated prices.
Ford, who vowed to spend $75 million on advertisements, asserted the importance of U.S.-Canada relations. Following Trump’s announcement, he reiterated Reagan’s support for collaboration, stating, “Canada and the United States are friends, neighbours and allies.” Ford’s remarks included a sentiment that both nations are stronger together.
In a statement made on Truth Social, Trump reiterated his viewpoint that the Ontario advertisement did not accurately portray Reagan’s stance and claimed its intent was to influence an upcoming U.S. Supreme Court ruling concerning his tariffs. He further characterized the Canadian government’s actions as egregious enough to warrant the termination of trade negotiations.
This is not the first instance where Trump has called off trade discussions with Canada; earlier in June, he similarly announced the termination of negotiations in response to a digital services tax imposed by Canada, which was later rescinded. Trump’s decision has sparked a new wave of discussions regarding tariffs and their implications on trade relations between the two neighboring countries.