President Donald Trump announced on Thursday night that he was canceling all trade negotiations with Canada.
The decision to do so stems from the discovery of an advertisement Trump claimed was being aired in Canada. The promo features an edited video of former President Ronald Reagan “speaking negatively about tariffs.”
Trump made the revelation in a social media post to his Truth Social account.
“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 posted. “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.”
Trump stressed the importance of tariffs, an integral part of his political and economic platform during his second term. He also cited national security concerns for imposing tariffs before announcing the halting of trade discussions.
“TARIFFS ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO THE NATIONAL SECURITY, AND ECONOMY, OF THE U.S.A.,” Trump said. “Based on their egregious behavior, ALL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITH CANADA ARE HEREBY TERMINATED.”
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute posted about the Canadian advertisement on its X account on Thursday. The organization, a nonpartisan and nonprofit organization created by the former president to promote his “legacy and principles – individual liberty, economic opportunity, freedom and democracy, peace through strength, and national pride,” rebuked the advertisement and said it was “reviewing its legal options.”
“The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute learned that the Government of Ontario, Canada, created an ad campaign using selective audio and video of President Ronald Reagan delivering his “Radio Address to the Nation on Free and Fair Trade,” dated April 25, 1987,” read the social media post. “The ad misrepresents the Presidential Radio Address, and the Government of Ontario 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 organization added.
The organization posted an unedited video of Reagan’s speech.