Trump is pissed again. And this time, it is because Canadians are making fun of him. On Friday morning, he exploded on Truth Social, accusing Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government of fraud, cheating and interfering with the U.S. Supreme Court. “CANADA CHEATED AND GOT CAUGHT!!!” Trump shouted online.
The outburst followed his decision to suspend trade negotiations over a C$75 million Ontario ad campaign that used Ronald Reagan’s voice to trash tariffs, one of Trump’s biggest policy tools.
He claimed the ad was fake, saying Canada “fraudulently took a big buy ad saying that Ronald Reagan did not like Tariffs, when actually he LOVED TARIFFS FOR OUR COUNTRY, AND ITS NATIONAL SECURITY.”
The ad, pushed by Ontario Premier Doug Ford, ran nationwide and quoted Reagan’s 1987 warning that tariffs hurt consumers and businesses. Trump, who has leaned heavily into tariffs since retaking office, saw red. Talks are off the table. For now.
Trump halts trade talks, accuses Canada of court meddling
Late Thursday, Trump first announced he was pausing negotiations, slamming the ad as not only dishonest but also a threat to his ongoing Supreme Court case about his tariff powers.
“Canada is trying to illegally influence the United States Supreme Court in one of the most important rulings in the history of our Country,” he wrote Friday. He didn’t stop there. “Canada has long cheated on Tariffs, charging our farmers as much as 400%. Now they, and other countries, can’t take advantage of the U.S. any longer.”
The fallout is the latest in a string of trade fights between Trump and Canada. He already called off talks in June over Canada’s Digital Services Tax, only returning to the table after Carney’s office backed down. Since winning reelection last November, Trump has repeatedly taunted Canada, throwing around “51st state” jokes and jabs that even Justin Trudeau once said bordered on obsession.
Kevin Hassett, who heads the White House National Economic Council, dodged questions Friday about the ad that set Trump off. But he admitted tensions have been building. “The frustration has built up over time,” Hassett said, blaming Canada for not being flexible in the talks.
Ontario’s Ford isn’t backing down either. He said he’s planning to push the ad’s anti-tariff message across every Republican district in the U.S., further fueling Trump’s outrage. The ad might’ve been aimed at tariffs in general, but it landed like a grenade in the middle of a sensitive trade conversation.
Carney keeps calm, flies to Asia amid chaos
Meanwhile, Carney isn’t biting. He’s keeping his cool, but he’s clearly not happy. Earlier today, before flying to Asia for two major regional summits, he said U.S.–Canada talks had been “detailed” and “constructive,” and made it clear Canada was ready to resume discussions. “We stand ready to pick up on those discussions when the Americans are ready,” he said.
Carney didn’t mention Trump by name, but he stuck to his script. “For months, we have stressed the importance of distinguishing things we can control and things we can’t control. We can’t control the trade policy of the United States,” he told reporters at the airport before boarding his plane.
He repeated the same point again: “Canada has to focus on what we can control and realize what we cannot control.” Translation: if Trump wants chaos, Canada won’t try to fix it.
Asked if he thought the ad would derail progress, Carney pivoted to talking trade with other partners. “It’s a situation where the United States has tariffs against every one of their trading partners,” he said, adding that he’s still looking to deepen relationships with other countries.
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