Truth Behind Ronald Reagan Tariffs Video: Is Trump’s ‘Fake Video’ Claim Right?

Former U.S. President Ronald Reagan has unexpectedly become part of the ongoing tariff conflict between President Donald Trump and Canada, decades after his death. The late leader’s remarks on trade, featured in a recent advertisement shared by Ontario Premier Doug Ford, have ignited a political storm after Trump labeled the video as “fake.”

The advertisement, which uses Reagan’s speech criticizing protectionist trade policies, was posted on X by Ford, who stated that the campaign would air in the United States. The video directly confronts Trump’s tariff measures against Canadian imports.

In the clip, Reagan is heard saying:

“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. And sometimes for a short while it works—but only for a short time. But over the long run, such trade barriers hurt every American worker and consumer. High tariffs inevitably lead to retaliation by foreign countries and the triggering of fierce trade wars. Then the worst happens: Markets shrink and collapse; businesses and industries shut down; and millions of people lose their jobs.”

Reagan continues by emphasizing that the path to prosperity lies in “fair and free competition.” According to Time Magazine, the video uses excerpts from Reagan’s April 25, 1987, “Radio Address to the Nation on Free and Fair Trade.”

Trump Denounces the Video as “Fake”

Reacting on Truth Social, President Trump dismissed the ad, alleging that Canada had used fraudulent footage. He wrote:

“The Ronald Reagan Foundation has just announced that Canada has fraudulently used an advertisement, which is FAKE, featuring Ronald Reagan speaking negatively about Tariffs. The ad was for $75,000,000. They only did this to interfere with the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court, and other courts.”

Reaffirming his commitment to tariffs, Trump announced that he was terminating all ongoing trade talks with Canada, asserting:

“TARIFFS ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO THE NATIONAL SECURITY, AND ECONOMY, OF THE U.S.A. Based on their egregious behavior, ALL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITH CANADA ARE HEREBY TERMINATED.”

Reagan Foundation Responds

The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute later issued a statement confirming that the Ontario government had used edited footage from the 1987 address without authorization. The Institute stated:

“The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute learned that the Government of Ontario, Canada, created an ad campaign using selective audio and video of President Ronald Reagan delivering his ‘Radio Address to the Nation on Free and Fair Trade,’ dated April 25, 1987. The ad misrepresents the Presidential Radio Address, and the Government of Ontario did not seek nor receive permission to use and edit the remarks.”

The Institute added that it is considering legal action over the incident.

Online Reaction

Despite Trump’s claims, social media users quickly pointed out that the complete version of Reagan’s 1987 speech—identical to the one used in the ad—has been publicly available for years. One user posted:

“Reagan Library uploaded the full speech Ronald Reagan made on YouTube a long time ago. This is part of the very real speech Reagan made. Canada should sue Trump. Donald Trump is a liar.”

Another commented:

“If Joffrey Baratheon grew up to be an American president, this is pretty much what it would look like.”

Other netizens highlighted that Trump’s accusations had inadvertently drawn new attention to Reagan’s old warning about tariffs. One wrote:

“Bravo Trump, now all Americans will be watching all Ronald Reagan speeches on trade and economy and his warning about tariffs.”

Another echoed:

“But it wasn’t fake. The full audio is available for anyone to listen to.”

As the debate continues, it remains uncertain whether President Trump will revisit his decision to end trade negotiations with Canada or take additional action in response to the controversy.

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