On October 23, 2025 Donald Trump posted the following on Truth Social:
The Ronald Reagan Foundation has just announced that Canada has fraudulently used an advertisement, which is FAKE, featuring Ronald Reagan speaking negatively about Tariffs. The ad was for $75,000. They only did this to interfere with the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court, and other courts. TARIFFS ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO THE NATIONAL SECURITY, AND ECONOMY, OF THE U.S.A. Based on their egregious behavior, ALL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITH CANADA ARE HEREBY TERMINATED.
On October 24, 2025 Donald Trump posted the following on Truth Social:
CANADA CHEATED AND GOT CAUGHT!!!They fraudulently took a big buy ad saying that Ronald Reagan did not like Tariffs, when actually he LOVED TARIFFS FOR OUR COUNTRY, AND ITS NATIONAL SECURITY. Canada is trying to illegally influence the United States Supreme Court in one of the most important rulings in the history of our Country. Canada has long cheated on Tariffs, charging our farmers as much as 400%. Now they, and other countries, can't take advantage of the U.S. any longer. Thank you to the Ronald Reagan Foundation for exposing this FRAUD. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!
The advertisement that Trump referred to consists of excerpts of a speech given by former U.S. president Ronald Reagan on April 25, 1987.
The text of the advertisement reads:
When someone says, 'Let's impose tariffs on foreign imports,' it looks like they're doing the patriotic thing by protecting American products and jobs. And sometimes, for a short while, it works — but only for a short time.
But over the long run, such trade barriers hurt every American worker and consumer. High tariffs inevitably lead to retaliation by foreign countries and the triggering of fierce trade wars.
Then the worst happens: markets shrink and collapse; businesses and industries shut down; and millions of people lose their jobs.
Throughout the world, there's a growing realization that the way to prosperity for all nations is rejecting protectionist legislation and promoting fair and free competition.
America's jobs and growth are at stake.
The advertisement was paid for by the province of Ontario government, not the Canadian federal government.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford said the ad will continue to air across multiple American television stations this weekend (including Game 1 and Game 2 of the World Series). Ontario will pay $54 million (about $75 million Canadian) to run the ad.
Ford said:
We've achieved our goal, having reached U.S. audiences at the highest levels.
Our intention was always to initiate a conversation about the kind of economy that Americans want to build and the impact of tariffs on workers and businesses.
It's [the ad] real, because it was coming from the best president the country's ever seen, Ronald Reagan. I feel the Reagan Republicans are going to be fighting with the MAGA group, and let's hope, Reagan Republicans win.
Ford is a populist conservative and Carney is a liberal.
After talking with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Ford decided to pause the advertising campaign effective Monday, October 27, 2025.
White House spokesman Kush Desai said the ad was the "latest example of how Canadian officials would rather play games than engage with the Administration."
Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council, said that Canada has shown a "lack of flexibility" and also cited "leftover behaviors from the Trudeau folks," referring to former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Source:
Gillies, Rob. (October 24, 2025). "Ontario premier says he'll pull ad that upset Trump so trade talks between Canada and US can resume". Associated Press. Retrieved 2025-10-24.
Weissert, Will; Min Kim, Seung; Gillies, Rob. (October 24, 2025). "Trump ends trade talks with Canada over tariffs ad that Ontario premier now says he'll phase out". Associated Press. Retrieved 2025-10-24.
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute posted a response on X that said the ad "misrepresents the 'Presidential Radio Address to the Nation on Free and Fair Trade' dated April 25, 1987."
On October 23, 2025, the day before Trump posted "ALL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITH CANADA ARE HEREBY TERMINATED," Prime Minister Carney announced his country has set a goal for Canada to double its non-U.S. exports over the next decade, adding that American tariffs are causing a chill in investment in Canada. More specifically, Carney said "The jobs of workers in our industries most affected by U.S. tariffs — autos, steel, lumber — are under threat. Our businesses are holding back investments, restrained by the pall of uncertainty that is hanging over all of us." It's possible that this was what triggered Trump to terminate trade negotiations, but with Trump you never know because he's such a loose, volatile cannon.
In his October 23 post on Truth Social Trump claims five things:
- The ad was used "fraudulently"
- The ad is "fake"
- The ad was run "to interfere with the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court, and other courts"
- The importance of tariffs to the "NATIONAL SECURITY, AND ECONOMY, OF THE U.S.A."
- Canada is guilty of "egregious behavior"
Regarding Trump's first claim, Trump isn't directly saying the ad is fraudulent. Instead, he says that the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute "announced" that the ad is fraudulent. From media reports I reviewed, none say the word fraudulent was used by the Institute to describe the ad. As I stated earlier in this post, the Institute said the ad "misrepresents" what Reagan said.
The Institute also said that the Ontario provincial government used "selective audio and video," that it did not "seek nor receive permission to use and edit the remarks," and that the Institute is "reviewing legal options."
A spokesperson for Ontario Premier Doug Ford denied any wrongdoing, saying "The commercial uses an unedited excerpt from one of President Reagan's public addresses, which is available through public domain."
Source:
Falconer, Rebecca. (October 24, 2025). "Reagan foundation 'reviewing legal options' over Ontario tariffs ad". Axios. Retrieved 2025-10-24.
Obviously, "fraudulent" is Trump's own personal assessment based on what the Institute said about the ad. But, if what the Ontario spokesperson said is true, then there was in fact no wrongdoing. As always, Trump "jumps the gun" and blurts out a definitive statement before we know all the facts.
Regarding Trump's second claim, someone please tell me what is "fake" about the ad? It's Reagan's own words! If Trump thinks it's "fake" because the ad contains only excerpts, then perhaps he could make the argument that some things were taken out of context, but he didn't say anything about context.
I read Reagan's speech in it's entirety. The only thing of any significance that was left out of the ad is where Reagan said:
But the Japanese semiconductors were a special case. We had clear evidence that Japanese companies were engaging in unfair trade practices that violated an agreement between Japan and the United States. We expect our trading partners to live up to their agreements. As I've often said: Our commitment to free trade is also a commitment to fair trade.
Notice the phrase "special case" and the fact that Japan, at the time, was violating its trade agreement with the United States. Neither of these apply to Trump 2.0 and his tariffs. Trump has imposed tariffs "en masse" against a long list of countries worldwide, not because they are violating agreements, but because Trump thinks the U.S. is somehow getting the "raw end" of trade relationships.
No, nothing was taken out of context.
Regarding Trump's third claim, Ford said that the goal was to reach "U.S. audiences at the highest levels." Is it possible that Ford thought the ad might be seen by members of the U.S. Supreme Court? Of course it's possible, but so what? It seems to me it would be a good thing if the nine U.S. Supreme Court justices saw the ad. Don't you think those justices should be considering how past U.S. presidents have viewed and used tariffs as they make their decision about whether or not Trump has exceeded his authority? To say that it's interference as Trump posted is just Trump's way of trying to exert control where he has no business exerting control. It's Trump B.S.
If you've been following the tariff/trade war saga that's been going on between Trump and Canada, you know there is no love loss. Carney has been doing his best to not be railroaded by the biggest, most egocentric bully the world has ever seen, and still maintain a working relationship with the Trump administration.
Carney is fighting back, and reminding all Americans of how a former Republican president viewed tariffs, using the public forum to his advantage in trade negotiations. I applaud him for his efforts.
Regarding Trump's fourth claim, Trump has made many "national emergency" and "national security" claims during his second term, all to justify his executive orders and his policies. He ignores objective reality and grossly overstates situations so he can do virtually whatever the hell he wants to do. His "national security" claim regarding tariffs is another prime example. It's just Trump B.S.
Regarding Trump's fifth claim, again, someone please tell me what is "egregious" about the ad? Again, it's Reagan's own words!
There is a lot of truth in what Reagan said in his speech on April 25, 1987.
As always, whenever someone or some entity pushes back against or challenges Trump (even the deceased!), he immediately starts screaming, slamming, discrediting, and vilifying. It's like an auto-pilot switch that gets suddenly triggered, which Trump seems to have absolutely no control over. And this is the guy who is, arguably, the most powerful person in the world!
As always, in the end it's ALL about Trump and his ego. And now, during his second term, it's also about his vindictiveness and his thirst for retribution.