President Trump said “egregious behavior” from Canada prompted his decision to terminate all trade negotiations. The behavior in question was an ad from Ontario featuring Ronald Reagan .
The ad used a 1987 clip of Reagan criticizing tariffs to protest the 35% US levies on Canadian goods. Trump blasted the ad as “fake” on truth social.
He accused Canada of attempting to interfere with US court decisions. The tariffs have hit Ontario’s economy hard, leading premier Doug Ford to launch the ad campaign.
The ad has also been disavowed by the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation. They claim the “selective audio” misrepresents the full 1987 speech and was used without permission.
Secretary of state Marco Rubio confirmed talks with Ottawa are suspended, a move that escalates the trade war and jeopardizes a vital economic partnership.
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