Late Thursday night, President Donald Trump abruptly ended all trade negotiations with Canada after a television ad opposing U.S. tariffs caught his attention. Trump called the ad misleading and “egregious,” claiming it was designed to influence U.S. court decisions.
Trump posted on his social media site that the Ronald Reagan Foundation had confirmed Canada’s advertisement used Reagan’s voice without permission. “The ad was for $75,000. They only did this to interfere with the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court, and other courts,” he wrote. “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.”
The ad in question, created by the government of Ontario, featured a one-minute clip of Ronald Reagan criticizing tariffs. The foundation said it misrepresented Reagan’s 1987 “Presidential Radio Address to the Nation on Free and Fair Trade,” which actually lasted five minutes. Ontario did not receive permission to use or edit the remarks. The foundation is reportedly reviewing legal options and shared a link to the full unedited address for context.
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Trump’s reaction caps months of rising trade tensions between the U.S. and Canada. Earlier this week, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Ottawa aimed to double exports to countries outside the U.S. in response to the threat posed by Trump’s tariffs. Carney has been trying to negotiate with Washington, but Trump’s abrupt cancellation could make talks even more difficult.
The feud has even included personal jabs at Canada’s sovereignty. Trump has previously floated the idea that Canada could be “the 51st state,” a comment that did not sit well with Ottawa.
Carney and Trump are likely to see each other next week at the Asean and Apec summits in Malaysia and South Korea. Earlier this month, Carney visited the White House to try to ease tensions. Trump reportedly called him a “world-class leader” and said Carney would “walk away very happy” from their discussions.
Trade between the two countries is huge. Over three-quarters of Canadian exports go to the U.S., and nearly C$3.6 billion worth of goods and services cross the border daily. Trump has already imposed steep tariffs on Canadian goods, particularly affecting the auto sector in Ontario. Stellantis recently announced it would move a production line from Ontario to Illinois, a move linked to Trump’s tariffs.
Canada responded with retaliatory levies on some U.S. goods but carved out exemptions for certain carmakers to bring vehicles into the country under remission quotas.
The tension is especially high in Ontario, where Premier Doug Ford launched an advertising campaign in the U.S. highlighting the negative impact of American tariffs. Ford even posted a link to the ad on social media, saying, “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.”
It’s official: Ontario’s new advertising campaign in the U.S. 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.
Watch our new ad. pic.twitter.com/SgIVC1cqMJ
— Doug Ford (@fordnation) October 16, 2025
Trump said he saw the ad and claimed it showed that his tariffs were already having an effect. “If I was Canada, I’d take that same ad also,” he said last week. But his response has been swift and dramatic.
Featured image via YouTube screengrab
