US President Donald Trump has announced higher tariffs on Canadian goods after Ontario aired an anti-tariff advertisement featuring former President Ronald Reagan.
Trump called the advert a “fraud” and accused Canadian officials of refusing to remove it before the World Series baseball championship. “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,” he wrote on social media Saturday.
Trade relations between US and Canada worsen
Trump’s announcement followed his withdrawal from trade talks with Canada on Thursday, escalating tensions between the two countries. Ontario Premier Doug Ford said Friday he would suspend the province’s anti-tariff campaign in the US after consulting with Prime Minister Mark Carney “so that trade talks can resume.”
Despite the pause, Ford confirmed the advert would continue airing over the weekend during the World Series between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Canada remains the only G7 nation without a new trade agreement with the US since Trump began imposing broad tariffs on major partners. The US currently applies a 35% tariff on Canadian goods, though many are exempt under an existing free trade deal. Certain industries face even higher rates, including 50% on metals and 25% on automobiles.
While traveling to Asia, Trump said he would raise those tariffs by an additional ten percentage points. Roughly three-quarters of Canadian exports go to the US, with Ontario serving as the hub of the country’s automobile industry.
Reagan quote sparks diplomatic controversy
Ontario’s government funded the controversial advert, which featured clips from Reagan’s 1987 radio address about foreign trade. The video quoted Reagan saying tariffs “hurt every American.”
The Ronald Reagan Foundation, which safeguards the former president’s legacy, criticized the advert for “selective editing” and said it distorted Reagan’s words. The foundation also confirmed Ontario never sought permission to use the material.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump insisted the advert should have been removed immediately. “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 wrote while flying to Malaysia.
Ford had previously pledged to run the Reagan advert in every Republican-led district across the United States.
Trump refuses meeting with Canadian prime minister
Both Trump and Carney are attending the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Malaysia. Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that he has no “intention” of meeting with his Canadian counterpart during the trip.
Trump also accused Canada of attempting to influence an upcoming US Supreme Court case that could decide the constitutionality of his tariff policy. The court is set to hear the case next month, which Trump called “THE MOST IMPORTANT CASE EVER.”
World Series turns into stage for trade jokes
Ontario has used the World Series as a platform to highlight opposition to Trump’s tariffs in a playful way. In a humorous video released Friday, Ford and California Governor Gavin Newsom joked about the Blue Jays-Dodgers matchup.
Ford promised to send Newsom a can of maple syrup if the Dodgers win. “The tariff might cost me a few extra bucks at the border these days, but it’ll be worth it,” he said.
Newsom replied by asking Ford to resume sales of American-made alcohol in Ontario’s liquor stores. He pledged to send “California’s championship-worthy wine” if the Blue Jays win.
Both leaders ended their exchange with a cheerful toast: “Here’s to a great World Series, and a tariff-free friendship between Ontario and California.”
