US secretary of state Marco Rubio has confirmed that all trade negotiations with Ottawa have been suspended, following a direct order from president Donald Trump.
The president’s decision, announced on truth social, came after the release of a Canadian ad critical of US tariffs. Trump called the ad “fake” and an act of “egregious behavior.”
The ad, sponsored by the province of Ontario, used a 1987 clip of former president Ronald Reagan warning that “trade barriers hurt every American worker.”
The ad was a protest against 35% US tariffs on Canadian goods, which have devastated Ontario’s economy. Premier Doug Ford, who launched the ad, has been a vocal critic of the US levies.
The ad has also been condemned by the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation for using “selective audio” without permission, a point Trump cited in his post. The move freezes a c$3.6 billion daily trade relationship.
Secretary of state rubio confirms trade talks with ottawa suspended
