President Donald Trump answers questions from reporters during a roundtable on criminal cartels in the State Dining Room of the White House, Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
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WILL WEISSERT
Trump Halts All Trade Talks with Canada Over ‘Fake’ Reagan Ad
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump abruptly announced late Thursday that he was halting “all trade negotiations” with Canada after accusing the Canadian government of producing a “fake” television ad using Ronald Reagan’s image to criticize U.S. tariffs.
The post on Trump’s social media site came hours after Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he planned to double Canada’s exports to countries beyond the U.S., citing Trump’s trade policies as a growing threat. The decision threatens to inflame already tense relations between the neighboring allies.
Trump claimed that the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation had confirmed Canada “fraudulently used” a 1987 Reagan address and edited it to appear anti-tariff. “They only did this to interfere with the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court,” Trump wrote. “Based on their egregious behavior, ALL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITH CANADA ARE HEREBY TERMINATED.”
The Reagan Foundation later posted on X that an ad by the Ontario government “misrepresents” Reagan’s remarks and had been used without permission. The foundation said it was reviewing legal options and encouraged viewers to watch the unedited 1987 broadcast, titled “Presidential Radio Address on Free and Fair Trade.”
Carney’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. He is scheduled to depart Friday for a summit in Asia, while Trump will travel the same day for another overseas meeting.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who launched the campaign, had promoted it on X last week, writing: “Using every tool we have, we’ll never stop making the case against American tariffs on Canada.” Ford’s spokesperson declined comment Thursday night.
Trump has already imposed steep tariffs on Canadian goods, and Ottawa has retaliated with levies on selected U.S. products—though with exemptions for some automakers. The dispute has hit Ontario’s auto industry hard; earlier this month Stellantis announced plans to shift a production line from Ontario to Illinois.
The U.S. and Canada exchange nearly $3.6 billion (US) in goods and services every day. Trump’s latest move could put much of that trade in jeopardy.
Associated Press Writer Rob Gillies in Toronto, Ontario, contributed to this report.
