Donald Trump said he’d lob more tariffs on Canada, on Saturday. Hours later, Ontario’s ad featuring former President Ronald Reagan criticizing tariffs aired during game two of the World Series.
The ad was expected. The campaign was released by Ontario’s Premier, Doug Ford, and it has been the latest flash point in trade tensions between the US and its neighbor to the north.
The advertisement initially drew Trump’s ire on Thursday night, and he posted to Truth Social to say that he was terminating all trade negotiations with Canada. Ontario subsequently announced on Friday that the ad would be pulled by Monday, but only after it had been aired during Friday and Saturday’s World Series games.
This is utterly stupid but I think the average Trumpist won’t even know any of this is happening unless they make more ads that are basically the same thing but with a card saying “Trump has increased tariffs on Canada to prevent you from seeing the following ad.” Fox News has just about everything else you can imagine on their front page but no mention whatsoever about increasing trade tensions with our biggest trading partner. Canada should just lean into this. There is no benefit to cooperation, and this is stupid even by Trump standards but of course half the country won’t even know it’s happening because of their news ecosystem even if they do see the actual ads.
Those ads ran during the “World Series” this weekend. Pretty sure Donny popped a few veins.