United States President, Donald Trump, announced late Thursday on social media that he was halting “all trade negotiations” with Canada, citing what he described as “egregious behaviour” following a television advertisement protesting U.S. tariffs.
Trump accused Canada of attempting to influence U.S. court rulings through the ad campaign.
The decision came shortly after Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney revealed plans to expand his nation’s exports beyond the U.S., citing risks associated with Trump’s tariff policies.
In his post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “The Ronald Reagan Foundation has just announced that Canada has fraudulently used an advertisement, which is FAKE, featuring Ronald Reagan speaking negatively about Tariffs.”
He continued, “The ad was for $75,000. 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.”
Carney’s office did not immediately respond to media inquiries late Thursday.
Earlier in the day, the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute criticized the Ontario government over the ad, stating on X that it “misrepresents the ‘Presidential Radio Address to the Nation on Free and Fair Trade’ dated April 25, 1987.”
The foundation noted that Ontario had not obtained permission “to use and edit the remarks,” and added that it was “reviewing legal options in this matter.” It also encouraged the public to watch the unaltered version of Reagan’s speech.
Carney had met with Trump earlier in the month in an effort to defuse trade tensions as the U.S., Canada, and Mexico prepare to review the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, a deal originally brokered by Trump during his first term, though his stance toward it has since cooled.
The U.S. remains Canada’s largest trading partner, accounting for more than three-quarters of Canadian exports, with roughly $3.6 billion CAD ($2.7 billion USD) in goods and services exchanged daily across the border.
Last week, Ontario Premier Doug Ford promoted the disputed ad on X, writing, “It’s official: Ontario’s new advertising campaign in the U.S. has launched.”
He added, “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.”
Trump acknowledged earlier this week that he had seen the ad, saying it demonstrated the effectiveness of his trade policies. “I saw an ad last night from Canada. If I was Canada, I’d take that same ad also,” he remarked.
The U.S. president has recently introduced higher tariffs on a range of Canadian goods. In response, Ottawa imposed retaliatory duties on selected U.S. products in April, while allowing some automakers limited exemptions under so-called remission quotas.
The escalating trade conflict has hit Canada’s auto industry particularly hard, especially in Ontario.
Earlier this month, automaker Stellantis announced plans to shift one of its production lines from Ontario to Illinois, underscoring the growing strain on cross-border manufacturing ties.
