On October 25, 2025, President Donald Trump announced a fresh escalation in the long-simmering trade tensions between the United States and Canada, raising tariffs on Canadian imports by an additional 10%. The move, which came during Trump’s high-profile trip to Asia, was triggered by the airing of a controversial television advertisement in Ontario that featured excerpts from a 1987 speech by former President Ronald Reagan. The ad, which aired during Game 1 of the World Series, sharply criticized Trump’s own tariff policies and quickly became a lightning rod for political and economic debate on both sides of the border.
According to ABC News, the commercial, sponsored by the provincial government of Ontario, used audio from Reagan’s address in which he warned of the dangers of high tariffs and the risk of trade wars. The ad’s message was clear: tariffs hurt everyone, a sentiment Reagan himself once voiced. Yet, the way the ad presented Reagan’s words—by reordering but not altering them—sparked accusations of misrepresentation from Trump and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation alike. The Foundation stated that the campaign used “selective audio and video” and was “exploring its legal options.”
President Trump, never one to shy away from a public fight, responded swiftly and forcefully. In a post on his social media platform, he declared, “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.” Trump went further, labeling the advert a “fraud” and accusing Canadian officials of failing to remove it before the high-profile World Series broadcast, as reported by BBC News.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford, caught in the crossfire, attempted to de-escalate. Ford announced on October 24 that the ad would be pulled from Canadian airwaves the following week in hopes of resuming stalled trade talks with the U.S. However, he acknowledged that the commercial would still air in the United States over the weekend, including during the ongoing World Series games between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Dodgers. “We’re halting the ads so that trade talks can resume,” Ford explained, but noted the timing meant the ad would still reach American viewers.
The commercial itself was part of a broader campaign by Ontario to protest Trump’s aggressive tariff policies. Ford had even pledged to run the Reagan ad in every Republican-led district across the U.S. The ad’s central message—Reagan’s warning that tariffs “hurt every American”—resonated with many, but its creative editing drew criticism. The Ronald Reagan Foundation, in a statement on October 24, said the Ontario government had not sought permission to use the footage and that the ad “misrepresents” Reagan’s original speech, even if the actual words weren’t changed. The Foundation’s frustration was palpable, and it indicated legal action might be forthcoming.
The stakes of the dispute are particularly high for Ontario, which is home to the bulk of Canada’s automobile manufacturing. As BBC News pointed out, three-quarters of Canadian exports are destined for the U.S., making the American market vital to the province’s economy. The U.S. has already imposed a 35% levy on most Canadian goods—though many are exempt under an existing free trade agreement—as well as sector-specific tariffs, including a 50% duty on metals and 25% on automobiles. Trump’s latest increase piles on top of these existing barriers, further straining cross-border commerce.
For Canada, the timing couldn’t be worse. Since Trump began his campaign to slap steep tariffs on major trading partners, Canada has remained the only G7 nation without a new trade deal with the United States. Canadian officials are keenly aware of the economic risks. Dominic LeBlanc, Canada’s trade minister, said, “We stand ready to build on the progress made in constructive discussions with American counterparts over the course of recent weeks. We will remain focused on achieving results that benefit workers and families in both the United States and Canada, and that progress is best achieved through direct engagement with the US administration.”
But Trump, speaking to reporters while traveling to the ASEAN summit in Malaysia, made it clear he had no intention of meeting Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney during the trip. The political chill was unmistakable. Trump also claimed, without providing evidence, that the Ontario ad was Canada’s attempt to sway the United States Supreme Court, which is scheduled to hear a case this term on Trump’s sweeping tariff policy. “It was Canada’s hope that the United States Supreme Court will come to their ‘rescue’ on Tariffs that they have used for years to hurt the United States,” Trump asserted on social media.
The business community, meanwhile, expressed deep concern about the economic fallout. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce, in comments to the BBC, warned that “tariffs at any level remain a tax on America first, then North American competitiveness as a whole.” CEO Candace Laing added, “We hope this threat of escalation can be resolved through diplomatic channels and further negotiation.”
The dispute also played out in more lighthearted ways. Ontario Premier Doug Ford and California Governor Gavin Newsom took to social media to exchange friendly jabs about the World Series and tariffs. Ford joked that if the Dodgers won, he’d send Newsom a can of maple syrup, quipping, “The tariff might cost me a few extra bucks at the border these days, but it’ll be worth it.” Newsom replied that he’d send Ford “California’s championship-worthy wine” if the Blue Jays triumphed, and asked Ford to resume allowing American-produced alcohol in Ontario’s liquor stores. Their banter concluded with both leaders toasting “a great World Series, and a tariff-free friendship between Ontario and California.”
As NBC News noted, the tariff increase came amid a swirl of other major headlines, including a government shutdown and ongoing political drama in Washington. Yet, the U.S.-Canada trade spat managed to seize the spotlight, underscoring just how intertwined politics, economics, and even sports have become in the modern era.
For now, the future of U.S.-Canada trade relations hangs in the balance. With tariffs rising and tempers flaring, both sides face mounting pressure to find a diplomatic off-ramp. Whether cooler heads will prevail remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: the World Series may end, but this cross-border contest is far from over.
