Donald Trump has declared that the U.S. will take action in response to the Canadian Premier’s decision to impose a significant tax increase on electricity for neighboring American states.
The trade battle between the U.S. and Canada is intensifying, as President Donald Trump swiftly approved sweeping tariffs on key trading partners just days after beginning his second term in January.
Trump justified the tax hikes by accusing Canada, Mexico, and China of failing to curb the flow of illicit drugs into the U.S., while also citing concerns over immigration and trade deficits.
In February, President Donald Trump vowed to impose a 25% tariff hike on goods from Canada and Mexico. After facing retaliatory threats, he briefly delayed the plan until March 4, with additional tariffs set to take effect on April 2.
Trump has since suggested that Canada’s only way to avoid the tariff hikes would be to become the U.S.’s “cherished 51st state,” further inflaming tensions by referring to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as the “Governor of Canada.”
Trudeau fired back, announcing counter-tariffs on U.S. goods, while Ontario Premier Doug Ford threatened to raise electricity prices—or even cut off power entirely—to 1.5 million Americans in Minnesota, New York, and Michigan.
Now, Ford appears to be standing strong with his finger poised on the switch, saying he will ‘shut the electricity off completely’ if the US continues to ‘escalate’.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Ford said: “If the United States escalates, I will not hesitate to shut the electricity off completely. Believe me when I say I do not want to do this, I feel terrible for the American people, because it’s not the American people who started this trade war.
“It’s one person who’s responsible. That’s President Trump.”
Premier of Ontario Doug Ford has promised to hike electricity costs to US states
The electricity hike would see Americans in the three US states face higher energy bills by about $100.
The Premier reiterated in an interview with Fox Business that the plan would go ahead, adding: “Isn’t this a shame. It’s an absolute mess… he’s created chaos.”
On Twitter, Ford explained further: “The only thing that’s certain today is more uncertainty. A pause on some tariffs means nothing. Until President Trump removes the threat of tariffs for good, we will be relentless.”
Trump snapped back by mocking Ford’s plan, alleging the retaliation will only harm Ontario further.
He said on his social media platform, Truth Social: “Despite the fact that Canada is charging the USA from 250 percent to 390 percent Tariffs on many of our farm products, Ontario just announced a 25 percent surcharge on ‘electricity,’ of all things, and you’re not even allowed to do that.”
The newly elected PM of Canada has promised to hit back at the US
He doubled down by promising the US will ‘just get it all back on April 2’ when the reciprocal tariff plan takes effect.
He added: “Canada is a Tariff abuser, and always has been, but the United States is not going to be subsidizing Canada any longer. We don’t need your Cars, we don’t need your Lumber, we don’t your Energy, and very soon, you will find that out.”
Canada’s newly elected prime minister Mark Carney has also vowed to fight the trade war, saying that the taxes present the ‘greatest crisis in our lifetime’ for Canadians.
The new tariffs would be the most transformative trade change since 1890, when the US imposed 50 percent hikes on all manufacturing goods under the then-president William McKinley, who Trump calls the ‘tariff king’.
