The U.S. President, "very happy" to "let it ride," has threatened new 10% tariffs after an Ontario ad campaign used a 1987 Ronald Reagan speech to criticize protectionism.
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| United States President Donald Trump seen on a big screen at media center during the 47th ASEAN Summit. Faris Hadziq/SOPA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa |
TOKYO — U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly ruled out a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney while the two leaders are in Asia, a significant diplomatic snub amid a rapidly escalating trade dispute sparked by a Canadian anti-tariff advertisement.
"I don't want to meet with him," President Trump told journalists flatly on Monday when asked if he planned to sit down with Carney during the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korea.
The president, who has been on a tour of Asia since Sunday, is traveling from Malaysia to Tokyo before continuing to South Korea later this week. Speaking to reporters on Air Force One, Trump seemed to revel in the new, hardline stance against his northern neighbor.
"We're going to let it ride," the president said, adding he was "very happy" with the current (and contentious) trade arrangement with Canada.
A Diplomatic Firestorm Over Ronald Reagan
The row that derailed U.S.-Canada relations stems from an advertising campaign, broadcast by the Canadian province of Ontario, that directly challenged Trump's protectionist trade policies.
The video featured excerpts from a 1987 radio address by former U.S. President Ronald Reagan, in which the Republican icon commented on the disadvantages of tariffs. The ad used Reagan's own words to build a case against the very "America First" tariffs that Trump has championed.
Trump, who has made frequent and aggressive use of global tariffs during his second term, was reportedly incensed. Last Thursday, he abruptly announced he was halting all trade talks with Canada, accusing the Canadians of running a "misleading" campaign and "cherry-picking" from Reagan's statements.
A 10% Tariff Threat
In an attempt to de-escalate, Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced on Friday that the province would suspend its ad campaign effective Monday.
But the move was not enough, and it was not fast enough for the U.S. president.
On Saturday, Trump escalated the dispute further, announcing he would impose additional tariffs of 10% on Canada as punishment. When pressed by journalists, the president did not specify when these new duties might come into effect.
The public refusal to meet with Prime Minister Carney a key G7 and NATO ally at a major international summit signals a new low in the relationship. As President Trump continues his high-profile Asia tour, his administration's trade war with Canada has moved from a tense negotiation to an active diplomatic "deep freeze."