Revisiting Reagan: A Free Trade Legacy Trump Shouldn’t Abandon Post

President Donald Trump’s recent decision to abruptly halt trade talks with Canada over an Ontario Government ad, one that cited Ronald Reagan’s 1987 anti-tariff speech, has fanned the flames of uncertainty in North American trade relations. His decision puts good economic policy on the back burner as he misrepresents Reagan’s spirit, which once exemplified regional economic leadership and partnership.

Trump accused Canada of “fraudulently” misrepresenting Reagan’s legacy, insisting the former president “LOVED TARIFFS FOR OUR COUNTRY, AND ITS NATIONAL SECURITY.” While the historical record paints an entirely different picture, President Trump and his advisers should revisit rather than embrace the path towards protectionism

Reagan’s Actual Stance: Tariffs As a Final Resource

Reagan’s 1987 radio address was straightforward and lacking in ambiguity. “I am loath to take’ steps like tariffs or trade barriers, Reagan declared, warning: ‘high tariffs inevitably lead to retaliation by foreign countries and the triggering of fierce trade wars.” Reagan practiced what he preached; he saw the risks and what was at stake when we embrace protectionism over free trade. He described a bleak future in which we would have to embrace such barriers, saying, “markets shrink and collapse, businesses shut down, and millions of people lose their jobs.”

For Reagan, tariffs meant we reached an impasse and used them sparingly as desperate interventions for blatant violations, such as Japan’s dumping of semiconductors. He understood that protectionism comes at the direct cost to American workers, famously citing the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act during the Great Depression as evidence that “protectionism becomes destructionism.”

There are real consequences of trade wars: after the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act passed in 1930, tariffs shot up, and nearly two dozen countries retaliated. There was a devastating result: world trade plummeted by 66% between 1929 and 1934, unemployment skyrocketed in America from 8% to a staggering 25%, causing markets to shrink and collapse, and millions of jobs to vanish. Economists and historians alike agree that while the Great Depression had many causes, these protectionist policies compounded the problem, hurting all, from farmers to businesses, and worsening economic distress at an international level.

Free Trade Builds Strength, Not Weakness

Let’s set the record straight. Reagan wasn’t the kind of leader who wanted America to embrace economic isolation. It was Reagan, not the protectionists, who first paved the way to NAFTA, later renegotiated as the USMCA. For Reagan, American power and leadership came from free and open markets and from allowing goods, ideas, and innovation to flow as imports and exports.

Instead of trying to isolate, he saw trade as a way to build stronger alliances, open new doors for opportunity, and even strengthen our national security as we diversified where we conducted business; after all, trade wars can lead to greater conflicts. His trade philosophy is part of a formula for maintaining a strong economy and remains a key pillar of any smart trade policy today.

When Toughness Is Required: Lessons Learned from Russia and China

But Reagan was fluid and far from stubborn in foreign affairs. Against adversaries, he showed unwavering decisiveness by facing the Soviet Union with strength and a willingness to engage in complex negotiations. In trade, his administration targeted unfair practices from countries like Japan and China with narrowly focused sanctions, always regarding tariffs strictly as tools with the purpose to restore the balance of Trump’s efforts to challenge China, especially on intellectual property theft and industrial dumping, strongly reflecting the need to stand firm against economic aggression.

In fact, Trump’s 2018 targeted tariffs on washing machines and solar panels, explicitly aimed at dumping, closely resemble Reagan’s tactical approach rather than the broader anti-trade rhetoric. Reagan’s lesson is one of restraint: to use these powers strategically and as a last resort, to meet at the negotiation table and find a long-term, stable solution, never as a weapon, more so as a defensive tactic.

The Path Forward: Reaganism Over Reaction

The Ontario ad controversy shows us the risks of selectively editing history for political gain. While the Reagan Foundation objected that Ontario’s ad “selectively edited” the President’s remarks for effect, it proved unable to dispute the overarching, anti-tariff substance. We can find real lessons for policymakers in Reagan’s playbook: prioritize free markets, reserve tariffs for emergency scenarios, and build trust at the international level with predictable rules, not random aggression.

As Trump looks to secure America’s future, he should follow Reagan’s balanced approach: stand firm against our rivals, such as Russia and China, build strong alliances, and resist the temptation to embrace protectionism as an economic fix.

Let’s not get lost in emotional rhetoric, and let’s remind ourselves of what actually works. Reagan showed us that levying tariffs as a negotiation tactic with our partners leads to trade wars and economic hardship for everyone. His legacy offers lessons on how to keep our economy strong and stable. If President Trump really wants to protect American workers and our future, he should follow Reagan’s free-market playbook rather than rewriting history.

Wrong Speak is a free-expression platform that allows varying viewpoints. All views expressed in this article are the author’s own.