President Donald Trump accused Canada’s Ontario province of trying to interfere in a pending U.S. Supreme Court case on his “reciprocal” tariffs after it aired a TV ad in the U.S. featuring Ronald Reagan criticizing trade barriers. Trump said the move was meant to sway the court ahead of its Nov. 5 hearing on the legality of his tariff policy. Ontario Premier Doug Ford defended the ad as a celebration of cross-border trade, while legal analysts dismissed Trump’s claim as unlikely to affect the court’s decision.
WASHINGTON, Oct 23, 2025 (Reuters) — U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday accused Canada of attempting to influence an upcoming Supreme Court case over the legality of his administration’s “reciprocal” tariffs, after the province of Ontario aired a television advertisement in the United States criticizing trade barriers.
In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump claimed that the ad campaign was designed to sway the court’s judgment ahead of Nov. 5, when justices are scheduled to hear oral arguments on legal challenges to a central pillar of his tariff policy.
“They only did this to interfere with the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court, and other courts,” Trump wrote.
The dispute centers on Trump’s “reciprocal tariff” system, which allows the U.S. to impose matching import duties on countries that levy tariffs on American goods. The policy has become a cornerstone of Trump’s economic and foreign agenda, drawing criticism from trade partners and businesses that warn it could reignite trade wars.
The Ontario government’s advertisement — promoted online by Premier Doug Ford and broadcast on U.S. television — features an archival speech by former President Ronald Reagan warning against protectionist policies.
“When someone says, ‘Let’s impose tariffs on foreign imports,’ it looks like they’re doing the patriotic thing by protecting American products and jobs,” Reagan says in the ad. “And sometimes for a short while it works but only for a short time.”
“Over the long run, such trade barriers hurt every American worker and consumer,” he continues. “Then the worst happens markets shrink and collapse, businesses and industries shut down, and millions of people lose their jobs.”
The ad concludes with a message highlighting Ontario’s trade relationship with the United States and its shared interest in “free and fair commerce.”
While Canadian officials have not directly commented on Trump’s accusation, Ontario’s government said in a statement that the ad “simply celebrates the long-standing economic partnership” between the province and its largest trading partner.
The White House has not indicated whether it will take formal diplomatic action over the ad. The Canadian embassy in Washington declined to comment.
Legal experts say it would be highly unusual for a U.S. court case to be influenced by foreign political advertising, but the episode highlights the political sensitivity of Trump’s trade policies, which have reshaped global supply chains and tested U.S. alliances.
The Supreme Court’s ruling in November could determine whether Trump’s tariff framework remains a lawful executive power or must be curtailed by Congress a decision that could have sweeping implications for U.S. trade strategy.
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