An ad that was meant to bridge the divide between Canadians and Americans has had the opposite effect. Citing false claims that Ontario’s ad fraudulently used the words of Ronald Reagan, Donald Trump cancelled all trade talks with Canada.
He made the announcement just after 10:30 in the evening Thursday in a wild post on 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. 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 posted.
“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. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DJT”
The Ronald Reagan Foundation has just announced that Canada has fraudulently used an advertisement, which is FAKE, featuring Ronald Reagan speaking negatively about Tariffs. The ad was for $75,000,000. They only did this to interfere with the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court,… pic.twitter.com/cDzF1YZdhl
— Commentary: Trump Truth Social Posts On X (@TrumpTruthOnX) October 24, 2025
The halting of talks comes just days after reports citing Carney government sources that a trade deal was close and could have been signed at the ASEAN summit next week. That is highly unlikely to happen now with Trump cancelling all talks for the second time in a few months.
Ad was completely legal and accurate
To back up his claims attacking the Ontario ad, Trump pointed to a statement from the Reagan Foundation, which claims the ad was selective in its use of the April 25, 1987 radio address by Reagan on the issue of tariffs.
“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 statement read.
First off, any creative work produced by an American civil servant in the course of their work is considered public domain, meaning it is free to use. There was never a need to seek permission and the Reagan Foundation has no copyright claims on the radio address made while Reagan was president.
Secondly, the ad in no way misrepresents what Reagan said in the address or his overall sentiment. The one-minute ad is a summary of Reagan’s five-minute radio address which spoke about tariffs and why he is generally opposed to using them going back to his experiences in the Great Depression.
As for Trump’s claim that this ad was some kind of interference by Canadians to influence court challenges to the tariffs, that’s crazy. This isn’t the first time the Ontario government has run ads saying we are better off without tariffs, American groups have done the same.
These same words, from that same address, have been used by Americans to make the point that tariffs are not in the best interests of the U.S.A.
Orthodoxy on tariffs has changed
Once upon a time, most Republicans would have recoiled at the use of tariffs, they followed what Reagan said. Those days are long gone, Trump and those around him are firm believers in tariffs, a point he made over and over during his remarks in the Rose Garden on Tuesday.
“I’ll tell you what, tariffs equal national security. Remember that, tariffs equal national security,” Trump said.
He mentioned tariffs in those remarks more than 20 times including to note that he had seen Ontario’s ad on TV.
Early Friday morning, hours after posting about cutting off trade talks with Canada over the tariff ad, Trump was on Truth Social again praising tariffs and how good they are for the economy.
“Ford and General Motors UP BIG on Tariffs placed on Big and Midsized Trucks coming from other countries. Thank you President Trump!” he wrote.
The stock price of the Ford Motor Company is up almost 10% over the last year; General Motors is up more than 25%. This, for Trump, is proof that his tariff plan and his vision for the economy is working despite what Reagan said nearly 40 years ago.
CANADA CHEATED AND GOT CAUGHT!!!They fraudulently took a big buy ad saying that Ronald Reagan did not like Tariffs, when actually he LOVED TARIFFS FOR OUR COUNTRY, AND ITS NATIONAL SECURITY. Canada is trying to illegally influence the United States Supreme Court in one of the…
— Commentary: Trump Truth Social Posts On X (@TrumpTruthOnX) October 24, 2025
Ontario’s ad was not aggressive, it was soft and it was friendly. It used Reagan’s own words, read out in his folksy and warm tones to try to make a simple point that tariffs are hurting average Americans.
That’s the old orthodoxy though, the one that isn’t believed by Trump or his top advisors. The hope of the ad campaign was to change the hearts and minds of average Americans, to convince members of Congress that putting tariffs on Canada was bad – Trump was never the target audience.
Trump saw the ad, however, and reacted harshly and swiftly, making it a spectacular failure.
Canada and the United States are friends, neighbours and allies. President Ronald Reagan knew that we are stronger together.
— Doug Ford (@fordnation) October 24, 2025
God bless Canada and God bless the United States.https://t.co/n1Nj6ofNZU
