Canada’s Carney says he apologized to Trump over Reagan-tariff ad
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney says he personally apologized to U.S. President Donald Trump over a controversial political ad that used Ronald Reagan’s voice to criticize tariffs — and revealed he actually tried to stop the ad from being released in the first place.
Speaking to reporters after the Asia-Pacific summit in South Korea, Carney explained that he pulled Trump aside during a state dinner hosted by South Korea’s president earlier this week to express regret. Trump had already told reporters he received an apology. Now Carney has confirmed it, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
“I did apologise to the president,” Carney said, adding that he reviewed the ad before it aired and told Ontario Premier Doug Ford that he did not want it to go forward. Despite that, the ad still ran — and the fallout came fast.
The advertisement, commissioned by Ford, featured a clip of former U.S. President Ronald Reagan warning that tariffs spark trade wars and destroy economies. The message was clearly directed at Trump’s tariff policies, and it didn’t go unnoticed in Washington.
Shortly after the ad circulated, Trump announced higher tariffs on Canadian goods and confirmed that U.S.–Canada trade talks were halted. Even though Trump described his exchange with Carney in Seoul as “very nice,” he made clear the pause in negotiations remains in place.
Carney’s diplomatic repair tour didn’t end there. He also met with Chinese President Xi Jinping, calling the conversation a turning point after years of strained relations. Canada-China ties had been tense following the detention and execution of Canadian citizens in China, as well as Canadian intelligence conclusions that China interfered in federal elections. Carney said foreign interference was one of the topics he raised with Xi.
The prime minister emphasized that his trip through Asia was part of a broader strategy to diversify Canada’s trade relationships and reduce reliance on the United States — a message that lands even more sharply now that tariff tensions with Washington have flared again.
The result is a highly unusual moment: a Canadian prime minister apologizing to a U.S. president for a political attack ad produced at home, while simultaneously signaling a new phase in Canada’s diplomacy with China. As trade pressure builds and alliances shift, Carney’s delicate balancing act shows just how fragile — and strategic — global relationships have become.
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