Trump says he is ending commerce talks with Canada over TV adverts : NPR

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump stated late Thursday that he was ending “all commerce negotiations” with Canada due to a tv advert opposing U.S. tariffs that he stated misstated the info and referred to as “egregious habits” geared toward influencing U.S. court docket choices.

The submit on Trump’s social media website got here after Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney stated he goals to double his nation’s exports to international locations exterior the U.S. due to the menace posed by Trump’s tariffs. Trump’s name for an abrupt finish to negotiations might additional inflame commerce tensions that have already got been constructing between the 2 neighboring international locations for months.

Trump posted, “The Ronald Reagan Basis has simply introduced that Canada has fraudulently used an commercial, which is FAKE, that includes Ronald Reagan talking negatively about Tariffs.”

“The advert was for $75,000. They solely did this to intrude with the choice of the U.S. Supreme Courtroom, and different courts,” Trump wrote on his social media website. “TARIFFS ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO THE NATIONAL SECURITY, AND ECONOMY, OF THE U.S.A. Based mostly on their egregious habits, ALL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITH CANADA ARE HEREBY TERMINATED.”

Carney’s workplace did not instantly reply to a request for remark. The prime minister was set to go away Friday morning for a summit in Asia, whereas Trump is ready to do the identical Friday night.

Earlier Thursday night time, the Ronald Reagan Presidential Basis and Institute posted on X that an advert created by the federal government of Ontario “misrepresents the ‘Presidential Radio Deal with to the Nation on Free and Honest Commerce’ dated April 25, 1987.” It added that Ontario didn’t obtain basis permission “to make use of and edit the remarks.”

The inspiration stated it’s “reviewing authorized choices on this matter” and invited the general public to observe the unedited video of Reagan’s handle.

Carney met with Trump earlier this month to attempt to ease commerce tensions, as the 2 international locations and Mexico put together for a evaluate of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Settlement — a commerce deal Trump negotiated in his first time period, however has since soured on.

Greater than three-quarters of Canadian exports go to the U.S., and practically $3.6 billion Canadian (US$2.7 billion) price of products and providers cross the border day by day.

Trump stated earlier this week that he had seen the advert on tv and stated that it confirmed that his tariffs had been having an influence.

“I noticed an advert final night time from Canada. If I used to be Canada, I would take that very same advert additionally,” he stated then.

In his personal submit on X final week, Doug Ford, the premier of Ontario, posted a hyperlink to the advert and the message: “It is official: Ontario’s new promoting marketing campaign within the U.S. has launched.”

He continued, “Utilizing each instrument we now have, we’ll by no means cease making the case in opposition to American tariffs on Canada. The best way to prosperity is by working collectively.”

A spokesperson for Ford did not instantly reply to a request for remark Thursday night time. However Ford beforehand received Trump’s consideration with an electrical energy surcharge to U.S. states. Trump responded by doubling metal and aluminum tariffs.

The president has moved to impose steep U.S. tariffs on many items from Canada. In April, Canada’s authorities imposed retaliatory levies on sure U.S. items — but it surely carved out exemptions for some automakers to deliver particular numbers of automobiles into the nation, often known as remission quotas.

Trump’s tariffs have particularly damage Canada’s auto sector, a lot of which is predicated in Ontario. This month, Stellantis stated it might transfer a manufacturing line from Ontario to Illinois.