US President Donald Trump has abruptly ended all trade negotiations with Canada following a dispute over a political advert aired by the Ontario government that featured former US President Ronald Reagan speaking against tariffs.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump described Canada’s actions as “egregious” and declared, “All trade negotiations with Canada are hereby terminated.”
The decision comes after Trump imposed a 35 percent tariff on Canadian imports, with exemptions for goods covered under the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which he renegotiated during his first term.
The advert, released by Ontario last week, used excerpts from Reagan’s 1987 national radio address on foreign trade. In the recording, Reagan warned that tariffs may seem patriotic but ultimately hurt consumers and lead to trade wars and job losses.
“When someone says let’s impose tariffs on foreign imports, it looks like they’re doing the patriotic thing… but over the long run, such trade barriers hurt every American,” Reagan said in the clip.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who shared the advert, wrote that Canada would “never stop making the case against American tariffs.”
The Ronald Reagan Foundation criticized the Ontario government for using “selective audio and video” without permission, saying the edits misrepresented Reagan’s original message. The foundation said it was reviewing its legal options.
The advert was part of a $75 million campaign aired on major US television networks to protest US tariffs on Canadian goods.
Trump’s administration has also imposed sector-specific tariffs, including 50 percent on metals and 25 percent on automobiles, measures that have put pressure on Canadian exporters and manufacturers.
Canada’s export sectors have been hit hard, with job losses reported in manufacturing and the auto industry.
Earlier this year, China’s embassy in Washington used a similar Reagan quote in a post criticizing Trump’s global tariff policy.
The White House has not indicated whether the decision to halt trade talks is temporary or permanent.
