Ontario Premier Doug Ford has doubled down on his threat to cut power to 1.5 million U.S. customers in response to Donald Trump’s new tariffs but has also clarified that his issue is with the president, not the American people. Trump recently imposed 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports as part of his efforts to address drug trafficking, prompting Canada to retaliate with counter-tariffs on $155 billion worth of U.S. goods. Ford initially vowed to fight back “twice as hard,” including the possibility of cutting electricity exports to the U.S.
Ford has since softened his message, apologizing to Americans while insisting that Canada must retaliate. Speaking to CNN, he emphasized, “It’s not you; it’s your president that’s causing this problem.” He stressed that Canada and the U.S. have always been strong trading partners and that Trump’s policies are disrupting that relationship. Still, he warned that he would use “every tool in our toolbox” to push back against the tariffs.
In addition to threatening to cut power, Ford also canceled a major contract with Elon Musk’s Starlink, a SpaceX subsidiary, as further retaliation. He accused Trump of choosing “chaos” over cooperation and announced that Ontario would no longer work with companies that “enable and encourage economic attacks” on Canada. This move is part of a broader effort by Canadian leaders to show they will not back down in the face of Trump’s trade policies.
With tensions rising between the U.S. and Canada, the situation remains uncertain. Ford and other Canadian officials continue to stand firm against Trump’s tariffs, while the White House has yet to respond to Ford’s latest remarks. Whether this trade war escalates further or leads to negotiations remains to be seen.
