Topline
President Donald Trump on Thursday night announced he was terminating all trade negotiations with Canada after the provincial government of Ontario ran ads that showed former President Ronald Reagan criticizing tariffs, which Trump labeled as “FAKE.”
President Donald Trump said all trade talks with Canada have been terminated.
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Key Facts
In a post on his Truth Social Platform, Trump shared a statement issued by the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and said it has “just announced that Canada has fraudulently used an advertisement, which is FAKE, featuring Ronald Reagan speaking negatively about Tariffs.”
The president claimed this ad campaign, funded by the government of Ontario, was an attempt to “interfere with the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court, and other courts.”
Trump labeled the ads as “egregious behavior” and said that because of this, “ALL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITH CANADA ARE HEREBY TERMINATED.”
In his post, the president defended his sweeping tariffs once again, saying they were “VERY IMPORTANT TO THE NATIONAL SECURITY, AND ECONOMY, OF THE U.S.A.”
What Has The Reagan Foundation Said?
In a statement issued on X, the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute said it has learned that the Ontario government “created an ad campaign using 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 statement added: “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 foundation said it is reviewing its legal options in this matter and shared a link to an unedited version of Reagan’s full speech on its YouTube channel.
What Do We Know About The Ontario Government’s Ad?
Earlier this month, Ontario Premier Doug Ford, announced his government will run an ad campaign across both local and national U.S. TV stations that use Reagan’s words. “We’re going to launch a $75 million ad, and we’re going to repeat that message to every Republican district there is, right across the entire country,” Ford said, adding that the ads will be “very factual” and not “nasty” about tariffs. The minute-long ad features audio clip’s of Reagan’s speech in the background with images of American farms, factories, workers and families. In the speech Reagan is heard saying: “High tariffs inevitably lead to retaliation by foreign countries and the triggering of fierce trade wars. Then the worst happens. Markets shrink and collapse. Businesses and industries shut down and millions of people lose their jobs.” The ad ends with a short glimpse of Reagan reading the address from 1987.
Further Reading
Doug Ford says Ontario spending $75M to run anti-tariff ads in U.S. featuring clips of Reagan (CTV News)