Donald Trump is economically punishing Canada (and the American public) for daring to televise Ronald Reagan’s position on tariffs.
The president announced Saturday that America’s northern neighbor would literally pay for Ontario’s decision to air portions of one of Reagan’s 1987 radio addresses, in which the conservative icon argued that tariffs undermine economic prosperity and only serve to “hurt every American.” The 35 percent tariff on Canadian goods would increase by at least 10 percent, Trump said.
The advert really irked Trump, who claimed that the very real speech was a “fake.” Trump also cited the advertisement as his reason for canceling trade talks with Canada and then deciding to actually impose more levies on America’s Hat as recompense for the stunt.
“Canada was caught, red handed, putting up a fraudulent advertisement on Ronald Reagan’s Speech on Tariffs,” Trump posted to Truth Social. “The Reagan Foundation said that they, ‘created an ad campaign using selective audio and video of President Ronald Reagan. The ad misrepresents the Presidential Radio Address,’ and ‘did not seek nor receive permission to use and edit the remarks. The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute is reviewing its legal options in this matter.’
“The sole purpose of this FRAUD was Canada’s hope that the United States Supreme Court will come to their ‘rescue’ on Tariffs that they have used for years to hurt the United States. Now the United States is able to defend itself against high and overbearing Canadian Tariffs (and those from the rest of the World as well!).”
While the ad stitched together some of Reagan’s quotes from different parts of the speech, none of the soundbites used in the ad were made up. In fact, the speech in its entirety reveals Reagan was much harsher on tariffs than the ad made him out to be.
The ad was developed by Ontario’s provincial government. The goal of the ad, per Ontario Premier Doug Ford, was to reach as many Americans as possible. After a conversation with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Ford announced the decision to pull the ad, which will officially stop airing on Monday.
But ultimately, Trump doesn’t appear able to grapple with the reality that his Republican hero considered his favorite economic stratagem a total dud.
“Ronald Reagan LOVED Tariffs for purposes of National Security and the Economy, but Canada said he didn’t!” Trump continued in his post. “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. Because of their serious misrepresentation of the facts, and hostile act, I am increasing the Tariff on Canada by 10 percent over and above what they are paying now.”
Speaking with reporters aboard Air Force One Monday, Trump said he had no interest in meeting with Carney to resolve the matter, further elaborating that he wouldn’t be meeting with Carney “for a while.”
The post Trump Starts a New Trade War Over Canada’s Reagan Ad appeared first on New Republic.
