Video of Reagan's Original StatementWatch the full unedited "Radio Address to the Nation on Free and Fair Trade" from April 25, 1987, delivered by President Ronald Reagan from Camp David:
youtube.com/watch?v=5t5QK03K… & Trump Responses
The Ontario government's $75 million anti-tariff ad campaign, launched October 14, 2025, repurposed an unedited excerpt from Reagan's 1987 address to warn U.S. viewers that tariffs harm jobs and spark trade wars. Airing on Fox News, CNN, and during MLB playoffs, it drew swift backlash from President Donald Trump, who on October 24 abruptly terminated all U.S.-Canada trade negotiations.
In a Truth Social post, Trump fumed: “The Ronald Reagan Foundation has just announced that Canada has fraudulently used an advertisement, which is FAKE, featuring Ronald Reagan speaking negatively about Tariffs. They only did this to interfere with the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court, and other courts. TARIFFS ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO THE NATIONAL SECURITY, AND ECONOMY, OF THE U.S.A. Based on their egregious behavior, ALL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITH CANADA ARE HEREBY TERMINATED.”
Trump accused Ontario of meddling in U.S. judicial matters, echoing the Reagan Foundation's earlier condemnation that the ad “misrepresents” the address and was used without permission.
The foundation, reviewing legal options, urged viewers to the original video on its YouTube channel. Trump's move escalates tensions amid stalled talks on USMCA revisions, with Canada facing potential 25% tariffs on steel, aluminum, and autos.
White House aides clarified the termination targets Ontario's "provocative" tactics, not broader bilateral ties, but markets dipped 1.2% on the TSX.Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who greenlit the ads, stood defiant.
On October 23, hours before Trump's post, Ford quipped to reporters: “I heard that the president heard our ad. I'm sure he wasn't too happy.”
Post-termination, a Ford spokesperson emailed CBC News: “The commercial uses an unedited excerpt from one of President Reagan’s public addresses, which is available through public domain. Reagan knew and spoke directly to Americans that tariffs hurt the U.S. economy, workers and families. He was a strong supporter of free and fair trade between Canada and America.”
Ford vowed to intensify the campaign, posting on X: “Using every tool we have, we'll never stop making the case for fair trade that benefits workers on both sides of the border.”
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's office, caught off-guard, called the decision “regrettable and disproportionate,” with Trade Minister Mary Ng stating: “We remain committed to dialogue and protecting Canadian interests—no ad changes that.”
Ottawa plans retaliatory consultations under WTO rules, while Ford lobbied U.S. Republicans directly. Economists warn of $20 billion in annual losses if talks collapse, underscoring the ad's ironic ignition of the very trade war Reagan decried.