Trump Raises Tariffs on Canada. Is the Reagan Ad the Real Reason?

US President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that he was raising tariffs on imports from Canada by an additional 10 percent. He explained that the decision was related to the broadcast of a television ad commissioned by the Ontario government, which featured archived remarks by Ronald Reagan criticizing the tariff policy.

“Ronald Reagan LOVED tariffs for national security and economic reasons, but Canada said he didn’t! (...) Due to gross misrepresentation and hostile actions, I am raising tariffs on Canada 10% above what they currently pay,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

The Reagan ad sparked controversy. Canadian media: It's an excuse

Earlier, the president announced the breakdown of trade talks with Ottawa. The ad that sparked the controversy featured a clip from Reagan's 1987 speech. In it, the former president said: "When someone says, 'Let's put tariffs on foreign imports,' it looks like they're doing something patriotic. . . But in the long run, such trade barriers hurt all American workers and consumers."

The Presidential Foundation and the Ronald Reagan Institute concluded that Canadian authorities distorted the meaning of the statement by editing it without consent.

Canadian media, including the public broadcaster CBC, claim the ad was merely a pretext. They claim Trump made the decision out of frustration with the stalled trade talks. Kevin Hassett, a White House economic adviser, admitted that the president's decision "is an expression of his frustration with the actions and attitudes of Canadians over the months of negotiations."

Ontario will end the ad. But not yet.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced that the ad would not be taken off the air until Monday. "Our intention was always to start a conversation about the type of economy Americans want to build and the impact of tariffs on workers and businesses. We achieved our goal," Ford said.

The spots are scheduled to air over the weekend, when the MLB World Series draws millions of viewers in North America and Asia.