On Saturday, President Donald Trump announced plans to increase tariffs on Canadian imports by an additional 10%. This decision was in response to a television advertisement aired by Ontario, which criticized U.S. tariffs.
The advertisement featured quotes from former President Ronald Reagan to challenge the U.S. trade measures, provoking Trump to threaten the termination of trade discussions with Canada. In response, Ontario Premier Doug Ford stated he would withdraw the ad after the weekend. It was broadcast on Friday night during the opening game of the World Series.
Expressing his frustration, Trump posted on Truth Social while traveling on Air Force One to Malaysia. He stated, “Their Advertisement was to be taken down, IMMEDIATELY, but they let it run last night during the World Series, knowing that it was a FRAUD.”
He further asserted, “Due to their serious misrepresentation of the facts, and hostile act, I am increasing the Tariff on Canada by 10% over and above what they are paying now.”
The specifics of the legal grounds for the new tariffs remain uncertain. The White House has not yet commented on the timeline for the tariff increase or whether it will affect all Canadian products.
Canada’s economy has already been significantly impacted by the existing tariffs imposed by Trump. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has been attempting to negotiate a reduction. With over 75% of Canada’s exports destined for the U.S., approximately $3.6 billion Canadian ($2.7 billion U.S.) worth of goods and services are exchanged across the border every day.
A spokesperson for Carney didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Many Canadian products have been hit with a 35% tariff, while steel and aluminum face rates of 50%. Energy products have a lower rate of 10%, while the vast majority of goods are covered by the U.S.-Canada-Mexico Agreement, and are exempt from tariffs. That trade agreement is slated for review. Trump negotiated the deal in his first term, but has since soured on it.
Trump and Carney will both attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Malaysia. But Trump told reporters traveling with him that he had no intention of meeting Carney there.
Trump said the ad misrepresented the position of Reagan, a two-term president and a beloved figure in the Republican Party. But Reagan was wary of tariffs and used much of the 1987 address featured in Ontario’s ad spelling out the case against tariffs.
Trump has complained the ad was aimed at influencing the U.S. Supreme Court ahead of arguments scheduled for next month that could decide whether Trump has the power to impose his sweeping tariffs, a key part of his economic strategy. Lower courts had ruled he had exceeded his authority.
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Associated Press writers Rob Gillies in Toronto and Josh Boak in Tokyo contributed to this report.
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