Ontario Premier Doug Ford caved less that 24 hours after President Trump ended trade negotiations with Canada over an anti-tariff ad campaign.
President Trump late Thursday evening announced all trade negotiations with Canada have been terminated after the government of Ontario, Canada, created an ad campaign using selective audio of President Reagan speaking negatively about tariffs.
Trump accused the government of Ontario of interfering with the Supreme Court’s decision on his tariffs. The high court is set to hear oral arguments on November 5 on Trump’s tariffs after a lower court ruled they were illegal.
The government of Ontario reportedly spent $75 million on the advertisement.
WATCH:
The Government of Ontario just spent $75 million on a pro-trade/anti-tariff ad starring… Ronald Reagan. pic.twitter.com/uD5wJgZEzv
— Scott Lincicome (@scottlincicome) October 15, 2025
The Ronald Reagan Foundation on Thursday evening responded to the government of Ontario’s advertisement.
“The ad misrepresents the Presidential Radio Address, and the Government of Ontario did not seek nor receive permission to use and edit the remarks,” they said.
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation threatened to take legal action against the government of Ontario.
Doug Ford immediately caved after Trump ended trade talks with Canada – but he won’t pull the ad until Monday.
Ford reportedly pulled the ads at the request of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
“Our intention was always to initiate a conversation about the kind of economy that Americans want to build and the impact of tariffs on workers and businesses,” Ford said.
He continued, “We’ve achieved our goal, having reached US audiences at the highest levels. I’ve directed my team to keep putting our message in front of Americans over the weekend so that we can air our commercial during the first two World Series games.”
“In speaking with Prime Minister Carney, Ontario will pause its US advertising campaign effective Monday so that trad talks can resume,” Ford wrote.
Statement from Ontario Premier Doug Ford.
He’s pulling the ads at the request of PM Mark Carney. pic.twitter.com/pdnTXqHyTJ— Brian Lilley (@brianlilley) October 24, 2025
