US President Donald Trump has raised tariffs on Canadian goods after Ontario aired an anti-tariff advertisement featuring former President Ronald Reagan.
Trump called the advert a “fraud” and criticized Canadian officials for letting it air 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 tensions reach new heights
Trump’s announcement came two days after he withdrew from trade talks with Canada, worsening relations between the two nations. Ontario Premier Doug Ford said Friday he would suspend the province’s anti-tariff campaign in the US after discussions with Prime Minister Mark Carney “so that trade talks can resume.”
Despite the pause, Ford confirmed the ad would still air over the weekend during the World Series, featuring the Toronto Blue Jays against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Canada remains the only G7 country without a trade deal with the US since Trump began imposing steep tariffs on major partners. The US currently applies a 35% levy on Canadian goods, though many items are exempt under a free trade agreement. Some industries face even higher rates, including 50% on metals and 25% on automobiles.
While traveling to Asia, Trump said he would add ten more percentage points to those tariffs. Roughly three-quarters of Canadian exports go to the US, with Ontario serving as the hub of the country’s automobile industry.
Reagan advertisement ignites controversy
Ontario’s government funded the controversial ad, which used clips from Reagan’s 1987 radio address about foreign trade. The video quoted Reagan saying tariffs “hurt every American.”
The Ronald Reagan Foundation, responsible for preserving Reagan’s legacy, condemned the advert for “selective editing” and said it misrepresented his message. The foundation also noted that Ontario had not sought permission to use the material.
In another social media post, Trump said 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 broadcast the Reagan ad in every Republican-led district across the United States.
Trump declines meeting at Asian summit
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.
He also accused Canada of attempting to influence an upcoming US Supreme Court case that could determine whether his tariff policy is constitutional. The court is scheduled to hear the case next month, which Trump described as “THE MOST IMPORTANT CASE EVER.”
World Series provides platform for trade humor
Ontario has used the World Series as a stage to poke fun at US tariffs. In a playful video released Friday, Ford and California Governor Gavin Newsom joked about the Blue Jays-Dodgers matchup.
They exchanged friendly bets, with Ford promising 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,” Ford said.
Newsom responded by asking Ford to allow American-made alcohol back into 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.”
