President Donald Trump announced over the weekend that the US will impose an additional 10% tariff on certain Canadian imports, escalating ongoing trade tensions between the two countries.
The move comes in response to an anti-tariff advertisement sponsored by the Ontario government, which cited former President Ronald Reagan’s support for free trade.
In a statement posted on his Truth Social account, Trump described the ad as a “serious misrepresentation of the facts” and a “hostile act,” saying the tariff increase is intended to defend the US against what he called “high and overbearing Canadian tariffs.”
He did not specify which products would be affected, though Canadian industries such as lumber, steel, aluminum, and potentially automotive parts could face higher costs.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford said the province plans to suspend its ad campaign on Monday, following discussions with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, in an effort to reopen trade negotiations.
The majority of Canadian exports to the US remain exempt under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).