US President Donald Trump said on Thursday he was immediately ending all trade talks with Canada, accusing Ottawa of misquoting former president Ronald Reagan in an anti-tariff ad campaign.
US PresidentDonald Trumpsaid Thursday that he was immediately ending all trade talks withCanada, accusing it of misquoting former president Ronald Reagan in anadvertisingcampaign againsttariffs.
"Based on their egregious behavior, ALL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITH CANADA ARE HEREBY TERMINATED," Trump said on his Truth Social network.
"The Ronald Reagan Foundation has just announced that Canada has fraudulently used an advertisement, which is FAKE, featuring Ronald Reagan speaking negatively about Tariffs."
The latest extraordinary twist in relations between the North American neighbours comes just over two weeks after Canadian Prime MinisterMark Carneyvisited Trump in theWhite Houseto seek a relaxation of stiff US tariffs.
Read moreTrump praises trade progress with Canada's Carney but holds firm on tariffs
The Ronald Reagan Foundation said on X that the government of the Canadian province of Ontario had used "selectively audio and video" from a radio address to the nation to the nation on trade by Reagan in April 1987.
It said the ad "misrepresents" what the Republican former actor had said in his address, adding that it was "reviewing its legal options in this matter."
Trump said the ad was designed to "interfere with the decision of theUS Supreme Court," which is due to rule on his sweeping global tariffs.
The sudden decision to end trade talks will come as a blow to Carney, whom Trump described as a "world-class leader" when they met on October 7, adding that the Canadian would be "very happy" with their discussion.
At the time, however, Trump offeredno immediate concessions on tariffs.
Roughly 85 percent of cross-border trade in both directions remains tariff-free as the United States and Canada continue to adhere to an existing North American trade deal called the USMCA.
But Trump's global sectoral tariffs -- particularly on steel, aluminum, and autos -- have hit Canada hard, forcing job losses and squeezing businesses.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
Originally published on France24
