Trump Pulls Plug On Canada Trade Talks Over ‘Fake’ Ad Featuring Ronald Reagan
President Donald Trump ended “all trade negotiations” with Canada on Thursday after Ontario’s government recently launched a $75 million anti-tariff ad campaign targeting Americans and featuring former President Ronald Reagan.
The ad campaign aired in the United States during a playoff baseball game between the Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners. Game 1 of the World Series takes place Friday night, featuring the Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
It is set to air on major networks across the United States and was developed by Ontario Premier Doug Ford and his provincial administration. Trump responded to the campaign by accusing Canada of trying to interfere with American politics and abruptly ending trade talks.
“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 wrote on Truth Social. “The ad was for $75,000,000. They only did this to interfere with the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court, and other courts. 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.”
Trump’s post followed a statement from the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute saying that it was pursuing potential legal options over Ontario’s use of the audio.
“The ad misrepresents the Presidential Radio Address, and the Government of Ontario did not seek or receive permission to use and edit the remarks,” the foundation said. “We encourage you to watch President Reagan’s unedited video on our YouTube channel.”
The audio used for the ad came from an April 25, 1987, radio address Reagan gave on free and fair trade. The foundation posted a link to the full speech on its YouTube channel. Ford’s ad pulls audio from the speech.
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
“When someone says let’s impose tariffs on foreign imports, it looks like they’re doing the patriotic thing by protecting American products and jobs,” Reagan said in the ad. “High tariffs inevitably lead to retaliation by foreign countries and the triggering of fierce trade wars. Then the worst happens. Markets shrink and collapse, businesses and industry shut down, and millions of people lose their jobs.”
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A Ford spokesman said the audio was pulled from the public domain.
“Reagan knew and spoke directly to Americans that tariffs hurt the U.S. economy, workers and families. He was a strong supporter of free and fair trade between Canada and America,” the spokesman said.
The Supreme Court is set to hear arguments on Trump’s tariffs on November 5. Trump on Friday again praised his tariffs, saying that they were making the country prosperous.
“THE UNITED STATES IS WEALTHY, POWERFUL, AND NATIONALLY SECURE AGAIN, ALL BECAUSE OF TARIFFS! THE MOST IMPORTANT CASE EVER IS IN THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT,” he wrote on Truth Social.
