Trump Imposes 10% Tariff Hike on Canada After ‘Negative’ TV Ad

U.S. President Donald Trump has announced an additional 10% tariff on Canadian imports in response to a negative television commercial featuring a speech by former President Ronald Reagan.

Officials in Ontario confirmed that the ad, which criticises Trump’s tariff policies, will be withdrawn from broadcast next week. However, Trump said in a post on his social media platform that he decided to raise tariffs after the ad aired during Game 1 of the World Series on Friday night.

“Due to their serious misrepresentation of facts and hostile act, I am increasing the tariff on Canada by 10% beyond the current rate,” Trump wrote.

Earlier in the week, Trump had already suspended trade talks with Canada over the commercial, which first aired earlier this month.

According to ABC News, the ad features excerpts from Reagan’s 1987 address, delivered when he imposed duties on certain Japanese products. In that speech, Reagan cautioned against the long-term economic dangers of high tariffs and the risk of trade wars.

Trump also alleged—without offering evidence—that the ad reflected Canada’s “hope that the U.S. Supreme Court will rescue them” regarding tariffs they have used for years to harm the United States. The Supreme Court is expected to review a case related to Trump’s broad tariff policies later this term.

In response, the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute stated Thursday night that the Canadian ad campaign used “selective audio and video” of Reagan, misrepresenting his remarks, and added that it is considering potential legal action.