President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he was ending trade negotiations with Canada, effective immediately.
The president accused Canada of trying to interfere in an upcoming Supreme Court case over the legality of its “reciprocal” tariffs.
Trump’s announcement on Truth Social comes after the Canadian province of Ontario began airing a television ad in the United States featuring a speech by former President Ronald Reagan.
“They did this only to interfere with the decision of the United States Supreme Court and other courts,” Trump wrote, referring to oral arguments scheduled for November 5 before the high court on legal challenges to a significant portion of Trump’s tariffs. These include country-specific interest rates, which are central to Trump’s foreign policy and economic programs.
The ad, which Ontario Premier Doug Ford released on »
“But in the long run, such trade barriers harm all American workers and consumers,” the former president continues in the ad.
“Then the worst happens, markets shrink and collapse, businesses and industries close, and millions lose their jobs,” Reagan said in a 1987 radio address from Camp David, Maryland.
He concludes by saying: “Across the world, there is a growing realization that the weight of prosperity for all nations lies in rejecting protectionist legislation and promoting fair and free competition. America’s jobs and growth are at stake.”
Ontario aired the ad during one of the MLB American League Championship Series games between the Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners. Fox Sports, which broadcast the match, said more than 9 million people were watching the game.
The Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute said earlier Thursday that it was “examining its legal options” regarding the use of Reagan’s speech. “The ad misrepresents the President’s radio address, and the Ontario government has not requested or received permission to use and edit the remarks.”
The offices of Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Canada is one of the United States’ most important trading partners. By 2024, Canada was the third largest source of imports to the United States, with more than $410 billion in goods coming from the northern country.
Many U.S. supply chains also rely heavily on Canada, such as the auto industry, even though the administration has pushed the “big three” U.S. automakers to reduce their cross-border manufacturing activities.
Trump’s termination of negotiations Thursday is not the first time the president has ended trade talks with Canada. In June, Trump said he was “ending ALL discussions on trade with Canada,” citing the treatment of U.S. technology companies and dairy farmers.
Canada quickly retaliated by imposing a quota on steel products, against what Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne called “unfair U.S. tariffs.”
But days later, Canada announced it would scrap its digital services tax, which would have hit big U.S. companies, to appease Trump.
Carney visited the White House in early October and relations appeared to have improved. Speaking alongside the Canadian prime minister in the Oval Office, Trump spoke of the “mutual love” the United States and Canada have for each other.
But Trump again hinted at a possible conflict. “We want Canada to do well,” he said. “But you know, there comes a time when we want the same stuff too.”
