US President Donald Trump announced he is ending “all trade negotiations” with Canada because of a television ad opposing US tariffs that he said misstated the facts and called “egregious behavior” aimed at influencing US court decisions.
The social media post came on Thursday night after Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he aims to double his country’s exports to countries outside the US because of the threat posed by Trump’s tariffs.
Trump’s call for an abrupt end to negotiations could further inflame trade tensions that have already been building between the two neighboring countries for months.
Photo: AFP
“The Ronald Reagan Foundation has just announced that Canada has fraudulently used an advertisement, which is FAKE, featuring [former US president] Ronald Reagan speaking negatively about Tariffs,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“The ad was for $75,000. They only did this to interfere with the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court, and other courts,” he wrote. “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 a request for comment. The prime minister was set to leave yesterday for a summit in Asia, while Trump was to leave later yesterday.
Earlier on Thursday night, the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute wrote on X that an ad created by the government of Ontario “misrepresents the ‘Presidential Radio Address to the Nation on Free and Fair Trade’ dated April 25, 1987.”
It added that Ontario did not receive foundation permission “to use and edit the remarks.”
The foundation said it is “reviewing legal options in this matter” and invited the public to watch the unedited video of Reagan’s address.
As for the US Supreme Court, Trump is referring to a case scheduled for early next month in which the justices would consider the legality of his sweeping tariffs.
Two lower courts have determined that Trump cannot unilaterally impose wide-ranging tariffs under an emergency powers law. His administration argues otherwise, saying he can regulate importation and that includes tariff policy.
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