Trump announced a 10 per cent tariff hike on Canadian imports over Ontario’s edited Reagan ad, which he called “fraudulent.” The Reagan Foundation criticised the ad, and Canada remains open to trade talks.
US President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that he was raising tariffs on Canadian imports by an additional 10 per cent, saying the increase would be charged “above what they’re paying now.” The move comes just two days after Trump ended trade talks with Ottawa, accusing Canada of running a misleading advertisement.
Trump made the announcement on Truth Social, referring to an advertisement aired by the government of the Canadian province of Ontario. The ad, which was aired Friday during Game 1 of Major League Baseball’s World Series between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Dodgers, featured late US president Ronald Reagan, a Republican icon, warning that tariffs could spark trade wars and economic hardship.
“Because of their serious misrepresentation of the facts, and hostile act, I am increasing the Tariff on Canada by 10% over and above what they are paying now,” Trump wrote about the Reagan ad.
In his post, Trump called the advertisement “fraudulent” and accused Ottawa of manipulating Reagan’s speech: “The Reagan Foundation said that they created an ad campaign using selective audio and video of President Ronald Reagan. The ad misrepresents the Presidential Radio Address and ‘did not seek nor receive permission to use and edit the remarks. The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute is reviewing its legal options in this matter.’ The sole purpose of this FRAUD was Canada’s hope that the United States Supreme Court will come to their ‘rescue’ on Tariffs that they have used for years to hurt the United States”.
Earlier this year, Trump had imposed a 25 per cent tariff on Canadian exports and a 10 per cent tariff on energy products. In retaliation, Canada levied counter-tariffs on USD 30 billion worth of US imports, including orange juice, wine, spirits, beer, coffee, appliances, apparel, and more. Following tariffs on steel and aluminium, Canada also imposed a 25 per cent tariff on US steel, aluminium, tools, computers, servers, display monitors, sports equipment, and cast-iron products.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Friday said that Canada remains ready to resume trade talks with the United States.
WHAT IS THE CONTROVERSIAL RONALD REAGAN AD?
The controversy erupted after a Canadian political advertisement used an edited recording of former US president Ronald Reagan to criticise Trump’s tariffs. The ad, reportedly released by Ontario’s provincial government, spliced portions of Reagan’s 1987 radio address to suggest that tariffs are harmful, a message Trump called misrepresented. In the ad, Reagan said, “When someone says, ‘Let’s impose tariffs on foreign imports,’ it looks like they’re doing the patriotic thing… but only for a short time,” adding, “over the long run such trade barriers hurt every American worker and consumer.”
