President Donald Trump has reportedly ended trade talks with Canada this week after the Ontario government launched a $75 million ad criticizing the administration over its tariff policies. The ad, airing on multiple major U.S. television networks, features authentic clips of former President Ronald Reagan criticizing tariffs during a 1987 radio address.
However, the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute, dedicated to preserving the records and legacy of the Republican icon, said the ad "misrepresented" the former president's words, which came during Reagan's "Radio Address to the Nation on Free and Fair Trade."
In a post on Truth Social, Trump accused the Canadian province, led by Premier Doug Ford, of airing the ad to "interfere" with a pending U.S. Supreme Court case over the President's executive authority to impose sweeping tariffs on other countries, including its neighbor to the north.
“Tariffs are very important to the national security, and economy, of the U.S.A. Based on their egregious behavior, ALL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITH CANADA ARE HEREBY TERMINATED,” Trump wrote.
Ford, who has criticized the President in the past, posted the one-minute ad on his X account last week.
"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 wrote.
This isn't the first time President Trump has had a volatile relationship with Canada.
In December 2024, Trump referred to Canada as the "51st state," suggesting it join the U.S. while discussing tariffs. The President also mocked former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, referring to him as the governor of the Great State of Canada.
Trump has long pledged to use tariffs as a way to leverage the United States into a better position on the global trade market, including imposing taxes on goods and services imported from other countries, including Canada.
The President's trade war with his northern neighbor initially prompted a 25% tariff, causing Canada to retaliate, before going up to 35% in August. It looks like the latest conflict won't resolve the negotiations between the two countries anytime soon.
