Inside the Reagan ad that led Trump to end trade talks with Canada: ‘High tariffs lead to…’
Posted on: Oct 24, 2025 16:34 IST | Posted by: Hindustantimes
US chairperson Donald Trump announced on Thursday that he was terminating all trade talks with Canada over an anti-tariff advertising campaign that used former president Ronald Reagan’s voice. Earlier this year, Trump imposed tariffs on Canadian steel, aluminum and automobiles, and both countries have been in talks for weeks over a possible agreement for the steel and aluminum sectors.
Ranting in a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “The Ronald Reagan Foundation has just announced that Canada has fraudulently used an advertisement, which is FAKE, featuring Ronald Reagan speaking negatively about tariffs.”
“Based on their egregious behaviour, ALL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITH CANADA ARE HEREBY TERMINATED,” he wrote.
The advertisement in question features excerpts from a Reagan address he delivered in 1987, where he defended free trade and spoke negatively about tariffs as an outdated concept that hinders innovation, raises prices, and harms American workers.
The campaign, funded by the government of Ontario, aims to sow confusion among Republican voters as it uses one of the party’s most iconic voices.
In the advertisement, Reagan says, “High tariffs inevitably lead to retaliation by foreign countries and the triggering of fierce trade wars. Then the worst happens: markets shrink and collapse; businesses and industries shut down; and millions of people lose their jobs.”
He concludes, “Throughout the world, there’s a growing realisation that the way to prosperity for all nations is rejecting protectionist legislation and promoting fair and free competition. America’s jobs and growth are at stake.”
Reagan’s remarks backed his move to impose tariffs on Japanese imports while also defending free trade and warning about the long-term impact of tariffs.
Meanwhile, the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation said that the ad used “selective audio and video” and that it is exploring legal options.
“The ad misrepresents the Presidential Radio Address (by Reagan in 1987), and the Government of Ontario did not seek nor receive permission to use and edit the remarks,” the statement said.
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