Scott Bessent: Canadian Reagan ad is ‘propaganda’ and part of psychological operation

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Canada’s anti-tariff ad, featuring former U.S. President Ronald Reagan, was “propaganda” and part of “psychological operations.”

On Sunday’s “Meet the Press” on CNBC, Bessent responded to a question about why President Donald Trump was setting his trade policy based on a television commercial he didn’t like. The ad, released October 16, contained a voiceover of Reagan’s 1987 speech in favor of free and fair trade.

“It’s a kind of propaganda against American citizens,” Bessent told CNBC. “These are psychological operations.”

“Why would the Ontario government do this…I’ve been told that they have spent, or planned to spend, up to $75 million on these ads that cross the U.S. border,” he added. “So what was the purpose of this, other than influencing public opinion?”

Bessent, who is in Asia with Trump to sign trade deals, acknowledged the ad had been pulled. But he said airing the ad was a “terrible, terrible judgment” on the part of Ontario Premier Doug Ford.

During a Sunday “Face the Nation” interview with CBS’ Margaret Brennan, Bessent made a similar statement, calling the ad “interference in the sovereign affairs of the United States.”

“It has clearly damaged our relationship with Canada’s most populous province,” he told Brennan.

Representatives from the U.S. Treasury and the Ontario premier’s office did not respond to Business Insider’s requests for comment.

How the advertising backlash unfolded

The one-minute ad from the Canadian province of Ontario included a voiceover of Reagan’s 1987 “Radio Address to the Nation on Free and Fair Trade.” The speech says that while tariffs may seem “patriotic,” they ultimately “hurt all American workers and consumers” and lead to retaliation and trade wars.

The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute said Thursday that Ontario misrepresented Reagan’s comments and that the province did not seek permission from the foundation to use or edit the former president’s remarks.

Trump criticized the Ontario ad in a Friday Truth Social article, saying he would end trade negotiations with Canada because of the ad.

Ontario Premier Ford said in a Friday

“We have achieved our goal, reaching the American public at the highest level,” he said. “I asked my team to continue delivering our message to Americans over the weekend so we can air our commercial during the first two games of the World Series.”

However, Ford said he had spoken with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and decided to pause advertising starting Monday so trade negotiations could continue.

The ad aired during the World Series games this weekend. Trump said in a Saturday Truth Social article that he would impose an additional 10% tariff on Canadian goods, above the current rate.

Tariffs on Canadian products not covered by the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement were taxed at 35% before the proposed 10% increase. Trump also imposed separate tariffs on products like auto parts.