U.S. President Donald Trump has announced the termination of all ongoing trade negotiations with Canada, citing outrage over a recent advertisement by the Ontario government that featured remarks from former U.S. President Ronald Reagan criticizing tariffs.
In a late-night post on his Truth Social platform, Trump slammed the ad which he mistakenly attributed to the Canadian federal government as “fraudulent and fake.”
“TARIFFS ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO THE NATIONAL SECURITY, AND ECONOMY, OF THE U.S.A.,” Trump wrote. “Based on their egregious behavior, ALL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITH CANADA ARE HEREBY TERMINATED.”
The controversial advertisement, produced by Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s administration, includes an excerpt from Reagan’s 1987 radio address warning that tariffs could trigger trade wars and economic collapse. The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute criticized the ad, saying it misrepresented Reagan’s words and that permission to use the material had not been sought.
Just two weeks ago, following Prime Minister Mark Carney’s visit to the White House, Trump had instructed senior officials to finalize a trade deal with Canada covering steel, aluminum, and energy. However, Canadian officials were informed late Thursday of his decision to end talks shortly before his public post.
Earlier in the week, Trump had referenced the ad during a White House event, saying, “I saw an ad last night from Canada. If I was Canada, I’d take that same ad also but I do believe that everybody’s too smart for that.”
The decision marks a sudden escalation in U.S.-Canada trade tensions, which had appeared to be easing before the controversy erupted.
