Former U.S. national security advisor John Bolton says Prime Minister Mark Carney made a “mistake” by apologizing to Donald Trump over an anti-tariff ad that angered the former U.S. president and led him to end trade talks with Canada.
“I think that showed weakness, and Trump will remember that when dealing with Canada,” Bolton said in an interview airing Sunday. “You haven’t heard China’s President Xi Jinping apologize for anything he’s done.”
The ad, paid for by Ontario’s government, included a clip of former U.S. president Ronald Reagan saying tariffs “hurt every American.” It aired during two World Series games between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Trump responded by announcing new 10 per cent tariffs on Canadian goods and ending trade discussions with Canada. He later said Carney had apologized, which Carney confirmed, though Trump still refused to restart negotiations.
Carney told reporters that trade talks had been making progress—especially on steel and aluminum—before Trump reacted to the commercial. Sources in Ottawa had said Canada was hoping for a deal by the APEC summit at the end of October.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford, however, said he would “never” apologize to Trump for the ad, calling it an important message.
Bolton said the ad “stung” Trump because it reminded him of Reagan’s message that tariffs should be used only in rare cases and not as a long-term policy.
He also advised Canada to move slowly on trade negotiations until the U.S. Supreme Court decides on whether Trump’s tariffs are legal. The court heard arguments on the case this week and could rule by the end of the year.
Bolton said if the court strikes down Trump’s tariffs, it would “fundamentally change his negotiating position” and be a major setback for him. “This is his signature program,” Bolton said. “If it’s overturned, it takes away much of his power to impose broad tariffs.”
He added that Canada should avoid making any moves it can’t undo before the ruling comes out. A formal review of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) is also expected next year.
