Trump Halts Canada Trade Talks; Ford Pauses Ads

President Donald Trump announced he was terminating trade negotiations with Canada after Ontario ran a U.S.-targeted TV ad that used excerpts of Ronald Reagan criticizing tariffs, calling the spot fraudulent and alleging it sought to influence U.S. courts. Ontario Premier Doug Ford said the campaign had reached senior U.S. audiences and — after consulting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau — agreed to pause the roughly $75 million U.S. ad buy (ads were to run over the World Series weekend and be paused afterward) to allow talks to resume. The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation said the ad misrepresents Reagan’s 1987 remarks, was used without permission and is reviewing legal options, while Ontario officials defended the clips as publicly available and unedited. The dispute has raised concerns about derailing sectoral USMCA negotiations and broader economic and diplomatic fallout, and unfolded amid elevated U.S. tariffs on Canadian steel, aluminum and autos that have alarmed Canadian industries. Ottawa and Ford said Canada was ready to restart negotiations when Washington is, even as White House aides framed the row as reflecting broader U.S. frustration with Canadian positions.