“Canada cheated and got caught,” president Trump posted on truth social, using the claim to justify ending all trade negotiations with the country.
The “cheating” Trump referred to was an ad from Ontario that featured a 1987 clip of Ronald Reagan warning against tariffs. Trump called the ad “fake.”
He claimed the ad was an attempt to influence US supreme court hearings on his 35% tariffs, which have hit Canadian industries like steel and timber hard.
The ad has also been condemned by the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation. They stated the “selective audio” “misrepresents” the full speech and was used without permission.
The suspension of talks, confirmed by secretary of state Marco Rubio, escalates the trade dispute and puts billions in daily commerce at risk.
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