US President Donald Trump has announced the immediate halt of all trade negotiations with Canada following the release of an advertisement in which former President Ronald Reagan asserts that tariffs 'hurt every American'.
The ad, produced by the government of Ontario, draws on excerpts from a 1987 radio address by Reagan related to foreign trade and tariffs.
Trump labeled the commercial as 'FAKE', while the Ronald Reagan Foundation criticized it for allegedly misrepresenting Reagan's original remarks. Despite claims of distortion, the ad does not alter Reagan's actual words, but does change their order in presentation.
The advertisement opens with Reagan stating, 'When someone says, 'let's impose tariffs on foreign imports,' it looks like they're doing the patriotic thing by protecting American products and jobs.' This phrase appears only later in Reagan's original address.
As the ad continues, it emphasizes the long-term consequences of tariffs, stating that 'such trade barriers hurt every American, worker and consumer.' In the original speech, this context comes after Reagan has thoroughly established his opposition to tariffs.
Further quotes in the ad focus on the inevitability of retaliation from other countries due to high tariffs, which could trigger 'fierce trade wars'—points Reagan made in discussing the economic dangers of protectionism.
Ultimately, this development underscores escalating tensions over trade policy between the two neighboring countries, as the US government reacts strongly to messaging that opposes its current approach.
