Ronald Reagan’s Vision Of Free Trade Versus The Modern Push For Tariffs

An advertising initiative by the Ontario government prominently featured audio from former President Ronald Reagan, who criticized tariffs on imported goods. The video rearranged Reagan’s statements from a 1987 radio broadcast, albeit omitting some contextual nuances. Nonetheless, the ad preserved the essence of Reagan's views, contradicting President Donald Trump’s accusation that Canada "lied."On October 14, Ontario Premier Doug Ford declared a $75 million investment to broadcast the ad nationally across Republican districts in the U.S. Ford emphasized the ad's factual nature and praised Reagan as "the best president."In a Truth Social post on October 23, Trump labeled the ad as "FAKE," alleging interference with impending Supreme Court decisions concerning tariffs. Following his disapproval, Ford announced the ad would be paused after airing during the World Series to resume trade negotiations.The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation criticized the ad for selective editing, stating the Ontario government had not obtained permission to use Reagan’s remarks.

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