Trump ends trade talks with Canada over TV ad opposing US tariffs

US President Donald Trump announced on late Thursday that he is terminating all trade talks with Canada over a television ad that condemned the trade tariffs imposed by him on Canadian goods. In a post on his social media platform TruthSocial, Trump described the ad as an “egregious behaviour” aimed at influencing the US Supreme Court’s decisions over the matter.

Interestingly, Trump’s opposition to the ad came a day after Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said that he is aiming to double his country’s exports to countries outside the US because of the threat posed by Trump’s tariffs. “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 said in a post on TruthSocial.

“The ad was for $75,000. They only did this to interfere with the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court, and other courts,” Trump wrote on his social media site. “TARIFFS ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO THE NATIONAL SECURITY, AND ECONOMY, OF THE U.S.A. Based on their egregious behaviour, ALL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITH CANADA ARE HEREBY TERMINATED," he added.

It is pertinent to note that the United States has imposed a 35 per cent levy on Canadian imports. However, he had allowed exemptions for goods that fall under the USMCA - a free trade agreement with Mexico and Canada that Trump negotiated during his first term. Trump has also imposed sector-specific levies on Canadian goods, including 50 per cent on metals and 25 per cent on automobiles.

What was the ad about

Shortly before Trump’s post, the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute posted on X that an ad created by the government of Ontario “misrepresents the ‘Presidential Radio Address to the Nation on Free and Fair Trade’ dated April 25, 1987.” It added that Ontario did not receive foundation permission “to use and edit the remarks.”

The foundation noted that it is “reviewing legal options in this matter” and invited the public to watch the unedited video of Reagan’s address. Earlier this month, Carney held talks with Trump to ease trade tensions as the two nations and Mexico prepare for a review of the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement, the Trump era trade deal that has since soured.

In his post on X last week, Doug Ford, the premier of Ontario, posted a link to the ad and the message: “It’s official: Ontario’s new advertising campaign in the US has launched.” “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," he added.

Earlier this week, Trump said that he had seen the ad on television, and it reflects that his tariffs were having an impact. “I saw an ad last night from Canada. If I were Canada, I’d take that same ad also,” he said then. The Canadian Prime Minister was set to leave Friday morning for a summit in Asia, while Trump is set to do the same Friday evening.

With inputs from agencies.