U.S. President Donald Trump has announced a 10% increase in tariffs on Canadian goods, reacting to an advertisement from Ontario that aired during the World Series. This decision comes after Trump ended trade talks with Canada, citing the ad as misleading.
The ad features former President Ronald Reagan, who warns that tariffs can lead to trade wars and economic problems. Trump took to Truth Social to express his frustration with the ad, insisting it misrepresented the facts and was a hostile act. He demanded that the ad be taken down immediately, but it continued to run during a major baseball game.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford mentioned that he had spoken with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and decided to pause the U.S. ad campaign to allow for trade discussions to continue. The advertisement aired during Game 1 of the World Series, where the Toronto Blue Jays faced the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Trump’s announcement about the tariff increase came while he was aboard Air Force One, on his way to Malaysia for a trip focusing on trade issues. The specifics of which Canadian goods would be affected by the new tariffs are unclear, as many Canadian exports to the U.S. are already exempt due to the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
Earlier this year, Trump imposed a 35% tariff on Canadian goods not covered by the USMCA. Additionally, Canada has faced significant tariffs on steel and aluminum from all countries. Despite these tensions, Carney expressed that Canada is ready to resume trade talks with the U.S. However, Trump indicated he had no plans to meet with Carney during the upcoming Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Malaysia.
The ad in question uses snippets of Reagan’s speeches, but critics note it fails to mention that Reagan’s comments were made in the context of justifying certain tariffs on Japan, which he considered an exception to his belief in free trade.
As the situation develops, both countries appear to be at a standstill, with trade relations hanging in the balance amid rising tensions over tariffs and advertisements.
