US President Donald Trump has announced a fresh 10 percent tariff on Canadian goods after the Ontario government aired an anti-tariff advertisement featuring former president Ronald Reagan.
The move comes amid escalating tensions over trade policy and media influence between Washington and Ottawa.
Trump reacts to Ontario’s Reagan-themed ad
The controversy began when Ontario aired a commercial featuring clips of Reagan warning that tariffs can lead to trade wars and economic damage. The ad, shown during Game 1 of the Major League Baseball World Series between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Dodgers, was meant to promote open trade values.
However, Trump blasted the advertisement as “fake” and “misleading,” claiming it misrepresented Reagan’s stance and was a “hostile act.” Writing on his Truth Social platform, he said:
“Their advertisement was to be taken down immediately, but they let it run last night during the World Series, knowing that it was a fraud.”
He further announced:
“Because of their serious misrepresentation of the facts, and hostile act, I am increasing the tariff on Canada by 10% over and above what they are paying now.”
Ontario pulls the ad after US outrage
Ontario Premier Doug Ford responded to the backlash, confirming that the ad would be pulled after the weekend to resume stalled trade discussions. “Our intention was always to start a conversation about the impact of tariffs on workers and businesses,” Ford wrote on X, noting that the campaign had “achieved its goal.”
Ford clarified that his team would continue broadcasting the message during the first two World Series games but had paused the campaign after consulting Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
The White House suspendedtrade negotiations with Ottawa earlier this week, accusing the Ontario government of attempting to influence a pending US Supreme Court ruling on Trump’s tariff policies. The new 10 percent tariff announcement follows existing tariffs of 35 percent on non-USMCA goods and 50 percent on steel and aluminium.
The majority of Canadian exports to the United States are exempt under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), signed during Trump’s first term. Still, the additional tariffs could strain already fragile trade relations.
