President Donald Trump has significantly escalated trade tensions with Canada by announcing an additional 10% tariff on all Canadian imports. This move follows accusations that Canada misused a modified speech by former President Ronald Reagan in an anti-tariff advertisement. The Reagan Foundation has since confirmed that the advertisement was indeed edited without their authorization, stating that Reagan’s remarks were taken out of context. Trump has characterized Canada’s actions as a ‘fraudulent advertisement’ and a ‘hostile act,’ prompting his retaliatory tariff increase. Despite these rising trade disputes, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has indicated that Canada remains willing to resume trade negotiations with the United States. This latest tariff addition comes on top of existing duties previously imposed by the US on Canadian goods, including 25% on exports and 10% on energy products. Canada previously responded with its own counter-tariffs totaling $30 billion on various American products. The core of the dispute lies in a one-minute advertisement that aired in Ontario, which featured edited clips of Reagan’s 1987 address warning against the dangers of high tariffs and potential trade wars. The ad aimed to criticize Trump’s current tariff policies, but the White House deemed it deceptive and politically driven.
