WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that the United States will impose an additional 10% tariff on all Canadian goods, citing a recent advertisement from the Canadian province of Ontario as the trigger.
In a post on his platform, Trump said the ad which featured clips of former U.S. President Ronald Reagan discussing tariffs, was “fraudulent” and labelled it a “hostile act.” He wrote: “Because of their serious misrepresentation of the facts, and hostile act, I am increasing the Tariff on Canada by 10% over and above what they are paying now.”
The ad, broadcast during the World Series, was commissioned by Ontario Premier Doug Ford and reportedly cost C$75 million. It used an edited version of Reagan’s 1987 radio address that criticised tariffs an editing choice the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute said misrepresented his remarks.
Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney said Friday that Canada stands ready to resume trade talks with the U.S., but the additional tariff move underscores the heightened tensions.
The 10 percent hike builds on an already strained trade relationship: the U.S. earlier this year imposed steep tariffs on Canadian steel, aluminum and automotive imports. The latest escalation raises fresh concerns about the stability of the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA) regime.
Canada has not yet formally commented on the specific tariff announcement. Both governments now face pressure to clarify whether the additional “10 percent” will apply to all Canadian imports, or only to specific sectors, when it will take effect, and how long it will remain in place.
