President Trump abruptly called off trade negotiations with Canada on Thursday after the Ontario government funded an anti-tariff ad campaign, featuring the voice of Ronald Reagan.
“The Ronald Reagan Foundation has just announced that Canada has fraudulently used an advertisement, which is FAKE, featuring Ronald Reagan speaking negatively about Tariffs,” Trump wrote in a late night Truth Social.
The president said the $75 million ad was made “to interfere with the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court, and other courts” in cases challenging Trump’s authority to issue tariffs.
“TARIFFS ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO THE NATIONAL SECURITY, AND ECONOMY, OF THE U.S.A,” Trump argued.
“Based on their egregious behavior, ALL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITH CANADA ARE HEREBY TERMINATED,” he declared. “Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
Ontario Premier Doug Ford unveiled the 1-minute ad last week, which uses audio of Reagan suggesting that tariffs don’t work in the long term.
“Using every tool we have, we’ll never stop making the case against American tariffs on Canada. The way to prosperity is by working together,” Ford said of the ad campaign.
The ad will air on Newsmax, Bloomberg, Fox News, Fox Sports, NBC, CBS, CNBC, ESPN, ABC and local stations in the US, according to the CBC.
As Trump noted, the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute accused the government of Ontario of misrepresenting the 40th president’s remarks.
The ad campaign uses “selective audio and video of President Ronald Reagan delivering his ‘Radio Address to the Nation on Free and Fair Trade,’ dated April 25, 1987,” the foundation said in a statement.
“The ad misrepresents the Presidential Radio Address, and the Government of Ontario did not seek nor receive permission to use and edit the remarks,” the statement continued. “The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute is reviewing its legal options in this matter.”
Trump has imposed a 35% tariff on most Canadian goods, arguing that Canada has failed to stop the flow of illicit fentanyl and other drugs into the US.
The Supreme Court will hear arguments next month in a case that will determine whether Trump has the power to impose many of his sweeping tariffs.
