US President Donald Trump has imposed higher tariffs on Canadian goods after Ontario aired an anti-tariff advertisement featuring former President Ronald Reagan.
Trump condemned the advert as a “fraud” and attacked Canadian officials for allowing it to 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 on Saturday.
Trade war deepens between Washington and Ottawa
Trump’s move followed his abrupt withdrawal from trade talks with Canada on Thursday. Ontario Premier Doug Ford responded Friday by announcing 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.”
Still, Ford confirmed that the advert would continue airing over the weekend during the World Series between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Canada remains the only G7 country without a new trade deal with the US since Trump began imposing steep tariffs on key partners. The US already levies a 35% tax on Canadian goods, though many products are exempt under an existing trade pact. Certain industries face even higher rates, including 50% on metals and 25% on automobiles.
While flying to Asia, Trump said he was adding ten more percentage points to those tariffs. About 75% of Canadian exports go to the US, and Ontario is the country’s main hub for automobile production.
Reagan advert fuels international backlash
The controversial advert, sponsored by Ontario’s government, used segments from Reagan’s 1987 radio address about foreign trade. The clip quoted Reagan saying tariffs “hurt every American.”
The Ronald Reagan Foundation, which safeguards the late president’s legacy, criticized the advert for using “selective” edits that misrepresented Reagan’s words. The foundation also said Ontario had never sought permission to use the material.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump demanded the ad’s immediate removal. “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 en route to Malaysia.
Ford had earlier vowed to broadcast the Reagan advert in every Republican-led district across the United States.
Trump snubs Canadian leader 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 had no “intention” of meeting with his Canadian counterpart during the event.
Trump also accused Canada of trying to sway an upcoming US Supreme Court case that could decide whether his tariff policy is constitutional. The court is set to hear the case next month, which Trump described as “THE MOST IMPORTANT CASE EVER.”
Tariff jokes surface during World Series rivalry
Ontario has turned the World Series spotlight into a stage for lighthearted jabs at US tariffs. In a humorous video released Friday, Ford and California Governor Gavin Newsom joked about the Blue Jays-Dodgers matchup.
Ford pledged 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 replied by asking Ford to resume sales of American-made alcohol in Ontario’s liquor stores. He promised to send “California’s championship-worthy wine” if the Blue Jays win.
Both governors ended their exchange with a cheerful toast: “Here’s to a great World Series, and a tariff-free friendship between Ontario and California.”
