‘Mission accomplished’: Ontario premier hails enraging Trump with anti-tariff ad
Ontario Premier Doug Ford has declared “mission accomplished” after his viral anti-tariff campaign ad, featuring footage of former US president Ronald Reagan, sparked a storm in Washington and prompted President Donald Trump to abruptly terminate all trade talks with Canada.
The 90-second spot, which garnered over one billion views before being taken down on Monday, had repurposed a decades-old Reagan speech, during which the former chief executive had warned against the dangers of trade barriers.
It had framed Reagan’s words as a rebuke to Trump’s tariff onslaughts against other countries, portraying protectionism as a threat.
Within hours of the ad’s being aired, Trump canceled trade negotiations with Ottawa and threatened to impose an additional 10 percent tariff on Canadian imports.
Trump threatens 10% extra import tax on Canada in retaliation for anti-tariff TV adshttps://t.co/ygEo22oeDQ
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Ford, however, claimed victory, saying, “Mission accomplished. They’re talking about it in the US, and they weren’t talking about it before I put the ad on.”
Ontario’s goal is to make sure Canada gets a fair deal, he added. “Not a one-sided Donald Trump deal, but a fair deal for the people of Ontario and Canada.”
Ford said he had spoken to almost every Canadian premier, securing unanimous support for the ad before releasing it.
He removed the video, though, after consulting with Prime Minister Mark Carney, who had been aware of the campaign in advance, Ford noted.
✍️ Viewpoint - How Canada's Carney rode anti-Trump wave to win election, stir reawakening
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By Hamid Javadihttps://t.co/f1IuoYoefb
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute retorted by saying Ontario’s government “did not seek nor receive permission” to edit or use the remarks, arguing the clip “misrepresents” Reagan’s original intent.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, traveling with the president in Asia, downplayed the issue over the weekend, saying retaliation against Canada was “second fiddle” to trade talks with China and other partners.
Observers and free-trade advocates have sided with Ford’s move to put up the ad, denouncing Trump for weaponizing trade against even Washington’s own allies.
After reclaiming the presidency, Trump revived his hardline trade agenda, imposing and threatening sweeping duties on imports from multiple countries in the name of safeguarding US industry and employment.
He signed an executive order in July, increasing tariffs on Canadian goods imported to the US from 25 percent to 35 percent.
The tariff offensive has prompted countries to seek fresh trade arrangements with the United States, and triggered many to try to expand trade partnerships with other countries.
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