Trump Hikes Tariffs on Canada's Goods Following Reagan Ad

Donald Trump traveling on his plane
Donald Trump announced the tariff rise while flying to Southeast Asia on the weekend

President Trump has declared he is raising import taxes on products brought in from Canadian sources after the territory of Ontario ran an anti-tariff advertisement featuring former President Reagan.

In a Truth Social message on Saturday, Donald Trump called the advert a "misrepresentation" and lashed out at Canada's leaders for not taking down it before the MLB finals.

"Due to their major misrepresentation of the truth, and aggressive move, I am raising the duty on Canada by ten percent in addition to what they are currently paying now," Trump posted.

After Trump on Thursday withdrew from trade negotiations with Canada, the Ontario's leader announced he would pull the advertisement.

Ontario's Response

Doug Ford Ford said on Friday that he would suspend his territory's anti-tariff ad campaign in the US, telling reporters that he chose after consultations with PM the Canadian PM "in order that commercial discussions can continue".

He also said it would remain broadcast on Saturday and Sunday, including contests for the World Series, which features the Blue Jays facing the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Commercial Situation

Canada is the only G7 state that has not secured a agreement with the US since Trump commenced attempting to levy steep import taxes on goods from primary commercial allies.

The United States has earlier enforced a thirty-five percent duty on every Canadian products - though many are free under an existing free trade agreement. It has also applied sector-specific duties on Canadian items, including a 50% duty on metals and 25 percent on automobiles.

In his message, posted while he was en route to Southeast Asia, Trump seemed to say he was including 10 percent to the existing tariffs.

Three-quarters of Canada's overseas sales are sent to the United States, and the province is host to the majority of the nation's vehicle industry.

Ronald Reagan Commercial Details

The advertisement, which was sponsored by the Ontario authorities, cites former US President Reagan, a conservative icon and icon of conservative values, saying import taxes "damage American citizens".

The commercial includes segments from a 1987-era national radio address that centered on global commerce.

The Ronald Reagan Foundation, which is charged with maintaining the late president's memory, had condemned the advert for using "carefully chosen" sound and footage and stated it misrepresented Reagan's 1987 speech. It also said the provincial government had not sought consent to use it.

Ongoing Tensions

In his update on Truth Social on Saturday, Donald Trump said that the advertisement should have been removed earlier.

"Their Advertisement was to be taken down IMMEDIATELY, but they kept it broadcasting last night during the World Series, realizing that it was a FRAUD," he wrote, while en route to Asia.

Ford had earlier vowed to air the Ronald Reagan commercial in each Republican-led region in the United States.

Each of the President and Mark Carney will be attending the Southeast Asian summit in Southeast Asia, but the President informed journalists traveling with him aboard his aircraft that he does not have any "plan" of speaking with his Canadian counterpart during the journey.

In his message, Trump also accused the Canadian government of attempting to affect an upcoming American high court lawsuit which could end his complete tariff regime.

The case, to be heard by the highest US court soon, will rule on whether the tariffs are legal.

On last Thursday, the President also criticized, claiming that the commercial was created to "interfere" with "a crucial lawsuit"

Baseball Championship Association

The Reagan ad is not the sole way that the region – home of the Toronto team – is using the MLB finals as a stage to criticise Trump's import taxes.

In a clip published on last Friday, Ford and California Governor Newsom humorously made bets about which team would succeed in the series.

The two leaders repeatedly teased about tariffs in the clip, with Ford vowing to deliver Newsom a container of Canadian syrup if the LA Dodgers succeed.

"The import tax might cost me a higher price at the crossing these days, but it'll be worth it," he stated.

In reply, Governor Newsom suggested Doug Ford to restart enabling American drinks to be available in Ontario liquor stores, and pledged to provide "our top-quality wine" if the Jays win.

They concluded their dialogue both stating: "To a fantastic World Series, and a duty-free relationship between the region and California."

Sara Clark
Sara Clark

Lena is a seasoned agile coach and software developer with over a decade of experience in transforming teams and delivering high-quality digital solutions.