Yuri Grips / Epa
US President Donald Trump.
Donald Trump ceased, with immediate effect, trade negotiations with Canada, accusing Canadians of distorting Ronald Reagan’s words from 1987, in an advertising campaign about increasing tariffs.
He saw it, didn’t like it and took action. Trump broke off trade negotiations with Canada.
“Given your scandalous behavior, ALL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITH CANADA ARE CLOSED”, wrote Donald Trump, on Thursday night on the social network Truth Social, using capital letters.
The Ronald Reagan Foundation, the North American leader wrote, “has just announced that Canada fraudulently used an advertisement, which is FALSE, featuring Ronald Reagan speaking negatively about tariffs.”
Donald Trump was referring to the advertising campaign financed by the Canadian province of Ontario, worth around 75 million dollars (around 64.5 million euros), with the aim of convincing North American Republican voters, according to several media outlets.
However, Donald Trump accuses the Canadian authorities of having “acted in this way only to influence the decision of the Supreme Court of the United States and other courts”, before which the legality of the decrees of the North American President that triggered these customs increases is challenged.
The Ronald Reagan Foundation stated on the social network X that the Canadian advertising campaign “selectively used audio and video excerpts” from a radio speech on trade by the former Republican president, in April 1987.
According to the foundation, the advertising distorted the words of Ronald Reagan (1981-1989), adding that he was “examining his legal options in this case”.
“CUSTOMS DUTIES ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO THE NATIONAL SECURITY AND ECONOMY OF THE UNITED STATES,” Donald Trump also wrote.
Before the unexpected declaration, a Canada-US trade deal on steel, aluminum and energy seemed likelyaccording to the Canadian newspaper Globe and Mail, ahead of the scheduled meeting between Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Donald Trump during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit at the end of the month.
Approximately 85% of cross-border trade remains tariff-free as the United States and Canada are members of the North American Free Trade Agreement.
However, Trump’s global sectoral tariffs, particularly on steel, aluminum and automobiles, have hit Canada hard, leading to job losses and putting companies under pressure.
