Trump Imposes 10% Tariff Increase on Canadian Goods After Controversial Reagan Ad

Sun Oct 26 2025 11:18:36 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In a strong response to an anti-tariff advertisement featuring former President Ronald Reagan, U.S. President Donald Trump has announced a significant increase in tariffs on Canadian imports. This move comes amid stalled trade negotiations with Canada, raising tensions between the two nations.

U.S. President Donald Trump has decided to raise tariffs on Canadian goods by 10% following a controversial advertisement aired in Ontario that featured former President Ronald Reagan criticizing tariffs. Despite Ontario Premier Doug Ford's announcement to pause the ad campaign, Trump condemned the ad as a 'fraud' and accused Canadian officials of misrepresentation. This tariff increase adds to existing high tariffs on Canadian goods amid ongoing trade disputes, particularly affecting the automobile sector in Ontario.

US President Donald Trump has announced an increase in tariffs on goods imported from Canada, citing an anti-tariff advertisement featuring former President Ronald Reagan as the catalyst for this decision.

In a social media post on Saturday, Trump described the Ontario-produced ad as a fraud and criticized Canadian officials for allowing it to air during the World Series baseball championship.

Because of 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, he wrote.

This increase follows Trump's withdrawal from trade discussions with Canada earlier in the week, prompting the Ontario Premier Doug Ford to announce a pause in the advertisement campaign. However, Ford indicated the ads would continue through the weekend.

Currently, Canada faces a 35% levy on goods imported to the U.S., although many products are exempt due to an existing free trade agreement. Trump’s new tariff hike is a further escalation, particularly impacting Ontario's automobile manufacturing, which is crucial to Canadian exports.

The Reagan Foundation has criticized the Ontario government's use of Reagan's quotes in the advertisement for only presenting selective audio and video content.

During his remarks while traveling to Asia, Trump indicated his frustration over the continued airing of the advertisement, especially during a prime event like the World Series, demonstrating the ongoing trade tension between the two nations.

The debate around tariffs and the Reagan advertisement highlights the complexities of U.S.-Canada trade relations, especially as both Trump and Prime Minister Mark Carney are set to attend the ASEAN summit in Malaysia, though Trump appears unwilling to meet with his Canadian counterpart during the visit.