As Donald Trump explained it , he was primarily worried about the accurate and honourable reporting of Ronald Reagan's views on trade policy — and concerned that a misrepresentation of the former U.S. president's views might somehow influence the justices of the United States Supreme Court.

And his belief in this regard is so strong that he was willing to suspend trade negotiations with one of his country's closest allies over a television ad.

"Based on their egregious behavior, ALL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITH CANADA ARE HEREBY TERMINATED." Trump announced in a social media post published at 10:30 p.m. ET on Thursday.

Trump had seemed, just 48 hours earlier, to understand why a jurisdiction impacted by his tariffs might produce such an ad.

"If I was Canada I’d take that same ad also,”

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