CaliToday (02/11/2025): In a significant diplomatic development, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney publicly apologized to U.S. President Donald Trump for a misleading advertisement critical of U.S. tariff policies. The apology was delivered during a press conference following the APEC Summit held in Gyeongju, South Korea, on Saturday. As reported by NBC News, Carney affirmed:
"I apologized to President Trump, and I meant it sincerely."
The controversy erupted after President Trump announced on October 25 that the United States would impose an additional 10% import tariff on Canadian goods. This decision came in direct response to a deceptive advertisement aired on Canadian television, which deliberately manipulated the audio and imagery of former President Ronald Reagan to misrepresent his views on tariff policy.
President Trump took to Truth Social, stating:
"Canada was caught red-handed – unequivocally – running a fraudulent ad based on Ronald Reagan's speech on tariffs. The sole aim of this deceptive act was to influence the U.S. Supreme Court, hoping the Court would 'rescue' Canada from the very tariff policies they have exploited for years to the detriment of America.
This ad should have been pulled immediately, yet they continued to air it during the World Series. Due to this hostile and egregious distortion, I have decided to impose an additional 10% tariff on Canada."
The Canadian side subsequently confirmed that the advertisement was not government-sponsored, and Prime Minister Carney had instructed Ontario Premier Doug Ford to ensure the ad ceased airing. However, the diplomatic damage was already done, as President Trump's decision to increase tariffs was made the very next day.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, President Trump described his meeting with Carney as positive:
"He was very gracious — he apologized for that false ad, and I appreciate that."
In a follow-up post, President Trump cited a statement from the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation, which confirmed:
"That ad campaign illegally and deceptively edited President Reagan's radio address without any authorization. The Reagan Foundation is now reviewing legal action against the Canadian party."
This incident unfolded just weeks after Mark Carney's second visit to the White House in October, from which he departed without securing any agreements on trade or tariffs.
According to Breitbart News, many of Carney's supporters in Ottawa expressed disappointment, noting that the Canadian leader had previously adopted a tough, "fiercely anti-Trump" stance during his election campaign, only to adopt a dramatically different tone when directly confronting the U.S. President.
Carney's political rival, Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre, had previously quipped:
"If he returns to Canada without a trade deal in hand, then he's nothing more than a weakling."
This episode powerfully demonstrates President Trump's continued potent influence in international negotiations, compelling the Canadian government to back down and issue a public apology after being accused of disseminating fabricated propaganda designed to undermine U.S. economic policy.
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Source: The White House, NBC News, Truth Social, Breitbart News
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