U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday declared that all trade talks with Canada have been halted immediately in response to an advertisement criticizing the tariffs he imposed on the country.
The president wrote on Truth Social that he was terminating all trade talks with Canada due to a video advertisement funded by Ontario that showed former President Ronald Reagan criticizing tariffs.
“Based on their egregious behavior, all trade negotiations with Canada are hereby terminated,” Trump added.
The Trump administration has implemented a 35% duty on numerous Canadian imports, along with specific tariffs aimed at industries such as automotive and steel production—measures that have severely impacted Ontario. However, exemptions remain in place for products covered under the free trade agreement with Mexico and Canada, which Trump secured during his first term. Since taking office earlier this year, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has been working to negotiate a deal that would reduce these U.S. tariffs.
Trump asserted that the advertisement was deceptive and accused it of being designed “to interfere with the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision,” as the court reviews a legal challenge to several of his tariffs—including country-specific rates central to his foreign and economic policies.
The ad, shared on X by Ontario Premier Doug Ford, one of the strongest critics of the tariffs imposed on U.S. companies purchasing Canadian goods, was part of a $75 million CAD (£40m; $54m) campaign aired on major U.S. television channels. In a post accompanying the ad, Ford stated, “We’ll never stop making the case against American tariffs on Canada.” Ontario, Canada’s most populous province and largest regional economy, has been the most affected by the U.S. tariffs.
Trump’s decision to end trade talks on Thursday marks another instance of stalled negotiations with Canada. Back in June, he declared he was terminating all discussions on trade with Canada, citing unfair treatment of U.S. tech firms and dairy producers. In response, Canada imposed quotas on steel imports, which Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne described as retaliation against ‘unjust U.S. tariffs.’
However, just days later, Canada announced it would withdraw its proposed digital services tax, aimed at major American companies, in an effort to appease Trump.
Canada remains one of the United States’ key trading partners, ranking third in import sources last year, with over $410 billion in goods entering the country.
BUSINESS GENERAL | SA Targets $29bn Indonesian Market for Agricultural Exports
