President Donald Trump announced a fresh 10-percent tariff on Canadian goods following a dispute about an Ontario-province advertisement featuring former President Ronald Reagan. The move marks a sharp escalation in U.S.-Canada trade tensions.
In a social-media post on Saturday, Trump accused Canada of running a “FRAUD” advertisement during the World Series that he said misrepresented Reagan’s views. He wrote that the ad “was to be taken down, IMMEDIATELY,” yet “they let it run last night… knowing that it was a FRAUD.” As a result, “I am increasing the Tariff on Canada by 10% over and above what they are paying now.”
The ad, produced by the Ontario government, repurposes a 1987 radio address in which Reagan warned about the dangers of high tariffs. The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation criticised the ad for using “selective audio and video” without permission and misrepresenting the original context of the video.
Earlier this week, the U.S. suspended trade negotiations with Canada. According to the White House, Ontario’s ad campaign was intended to influence a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Trump’s tariff authority. Reuters reported that Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canada was ready to resume talks if conditions changed.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford responded by announcing a pause of the U.S. ad campaign starting Monday, after his consultation with Carney. Ford claimed the campaign had “reached U.S. audiences at the highest levels.”
The tariff hike comes as Trump’s administration continues to confront Canada over alleged lax action against illicit drug flows and border practices. The new surcharge signals a more aggressive posture toward a close U.S. ally and highlights the increasing use of economic pressure in U.S. foreign-policy toolkit.
Canada must decide whether to accept the ad campaign pause and reopen negotiations or push back against what it sees as U.S. bullying. Meanwhile, the U.S. is expected to monitor whether Canada takes further steps on drug control and border cooperation. In the short term, Canadian exporters and U.S. importers will face higher costs as the new 10-percent surcharge takes effect.
Africa Digital News, New York
