Trump Terminates Trade Talks with Canada Over Controversial Ronald Reagan Ad
President Donald Trump has abruptly ended all trade discussions with Canada following the release of a political advertisement funded by Ontario's provincial government. This ad, aired on major U.S. television networks, featured excerpts of a 1987 radio address by former President Ronald Reagan, in which Reagan spoke critically about tariffs and warned about their harmful impact on the economy.
Content of the Controversial Advertisement
The ad uses segments from Reagan’s 1987 “Address to the Nation on Free and Fair Trade,” where Reagan argues that while tariffs may seem patriotic by protecting American jobs temporarily, they ultimately do more harm than good. The advertisement emphasizes Reagan’s warnings that tariffs:
Hurt every American worker and consumer,
Inevitably lead to retaliatory trade barriers by foreign countries,
Trigger fierce trade wars,
Shrink markets and collapse industries,
Cause millions of people to lose their jobs.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford commissioned the ad campaign to broadcast Reagan’s anti-tariff message broadly across the U.S., aiming to influence American public opinion against Trump’s tariffs on Canadian goods.
Trump’s Reaction and Allegations
President Trump condemned the advertisement as “fake” and “fraudulent,” accusing Canada of manipulating Reagan’s words to undermine his trade policies. Trump posted on Truth Social that:
Canada “cheated and got caught” by using a distorted Reagan speech,
The ad was intended to “illegally influence” judicial decisions, specifically a pending U.S. Supreme Court case reviewing the legality of several of Trump’s tariffs,
Tariffs are “very important to the national security and economy of the USA,” and
“All trade negotiations with Canada are hereby terminated” due to this “egregious behavior.”
Trump’s declaration came as a sudden halt to ongoing discussions concerning tariffs he had imposed on Canadian steel, auto parts, and other significant exports.
Disputes Over the Ad’s Accuracy and Permission
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute stated that while the ad contains genuine excerpts from Reagan's 1987 address, it “misrepresents” the original speech by selecting and editing segments without full context. The Foundation also pointed out that Ontario did not seek or obtain permission to use or modify the speech and is currently reviewing its legal options regarding the ad’s usage.
Reagan’s original speech was a nuanced address made during a tense period of U.S.-Japan trade relations, expressing caution over tariffs but also recognizing their limited use when necessary. The ad selectively emphasized Reagan’s anti-tariff points without mentioning his criticisms of Japan’s trade practices or his administration’s imposition of tariffs on certain Japanese goods.
Broader Context and Implications
The advertisement aired repeatedly during high-profile U.S. events, including baseball championship games, aiming to sway American sentiment.
Ontario’s political leadership defended the ad as a non-nasty, patriotic message aligning with free trade principles, with Premier Ford describing Reagan as one of the greatest American presidents.
The controversy further strains U.S.-Canada relations just weeks after Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s visit to the White House.
The trade negotiations were already tense due to Trump's tariffs and protectionist policies, and this development adds significant uncertainty to future bilateral trade talks.
Conclusion
Canada’s political advertisement using Ronald Reagan’s 1987 speech against tariffs ignited a major diplomatic row, leading President Trump to terminate trade negotiations abruptly. The dispute hinges on contrasting views about tariffs’ economic role and the ethical use of a revered former president’s words in political messaging. The Reagan Foundation’s objections and potential legal actions add a further layer of complexity to the controversy. This incident highlights the volatile intersection of trade policy, political advertising, and U.S.-Canada relations in 2025.