Trump halts all Canada trade talks over edited Reagan ad

President Donald Trump announced late Thursday that he was terminating all trade negotiations with Canada after accusing the Government of Ontario of fraudulently using an edited advertisement featuring former president Ronald Reagan criticizing tariffs. In a post on his social media platform, Mr. Trump called the ad “FAKE” and said it was intended to interfere with court decisions, adding that “TARIFFS ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO THE NATIONAL SECURITY, AND ECONOMY, OF THE U.S.A.” He wrote, “Based on their egregious behavior, ALL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITH CANADA ARE HEREBY TERMINATED.”

The advertisement at the center of the dispute is part of a roughly 75 million Canadian dollar campaign purchased by Ontario. The one minute spot uses audio from a 1987 radio address by Reagan in which he warned that “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,” language included in the ad as it sought to make a case against U.S. tariffs.

The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute issued a statement...