President Donald Trump wasted no time going full throttle on his agenda during the start of his second term in the Oval Office.
One of his newest rivals swiftly learned that picking a fight with Trump is a bad idea.
And Donald Trump received a standing ovation after one rival just called surrender in this major fight.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford surrenders in his battle of tariffs with Trump
Donald Trump recently announced that he would be temporarily suspending his planned tariffs with Canada and Mexico until April 2 to allow for negotiations on an updated version of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) trade agreement.
His top condition was that Canada and Mexico would drop their radically high tariffs on goods produced in the United States entering their markets.
But Ontario Premier Doug Ford thought Trump’s pressure tactic was all bark and no bite.
Ford followed Trump’s vigor for a better trade deal with the announcement of a 25% tariff on power exported from Canada into Minnesota, New York, and Michigan.
His goal was to turn off the heat and power for American citizens to retaliate against Trump.
But he took a bigger bite than he could chew as Trump was not going to let some little-known Canadian regional politician strong-arm him and his agenda.
Trump wasted no time in making his intended response clear, posting on his Truth Social platform that he would double his planned tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from Canada.
“Based on Ontario, Canada, placing a 25% Tariff on ‘Electricity’ coming into the United States, I have instructed my Secretary of Commerce to add an ADDITIONAL 25% Tariff, to 50%, on all STEEL and ALUMINUM COMING INTO THE UNITED STATES FROM CANADA, ONE OF THE HIGHEST TARIFFING NATIONS ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD,” posted President Trump.
Trump also made sure to warn Canada that if they had not begun lowering their other tariffs – such as some of which are as steep as 390% on American dairy products – by April 2, he would essentially obliterate their nation’s auto industry.
“This will allow the U.S to quickly do what has to be done to alleviate this abusive threat from Canada,” continued Trump. “If other egregious, long time Tariffs are not likewise dropped by Canada, I will substantially increase, on April 2nd, the Tariffs on Cars coming into the U.S. which will, essentially, permanently shut down the automobile manufacturing business in Canada.”
Trump emphasized that it was extremely unfair that Canada would take advantage of America by leeching off American taxpayers for their national defense while effectively shutting them out from fair business in Canada.
“Those cars can easily be made in the USA! Also, Canada pays very little for National Security, relying on the United States for military protection,” slammed Trump. “We are subsidizing Canada to the tune of more than 200 Billion Dollars a year.”
Results immediately follow threats by President Trump
Almost immediately after Trump made it clear he had zero intention to back down in this fight, Doug Ford threw his hands in the air and backed off.
In a recent post on X, Ford published a joint statement with Trump’s Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick on his new and different approach to the recent heated tensions.
“Today, United States Secretary of Commerce @howardlutnick and Premier of Ontario Doug Ford had a productive conversation about the economic relationship between the United States and Canada,” the statement started.
Ford explained that he would be working with Secretary Lutnick to write up a new trade deal between the United States and Canada to avoid new tariff increases on electricity exports into America.
“Secretary Lutnick agreed to officially meet with Premier Ford in Washington on Thursday, March 13 alongside the United States Trade Representative to discuss a renewed USMCA ahead of the April 2 reciprocal tariff deadline,” they added in their statement.
“In response, Ontario agreed to suspend its 25 percent surcharge on exports of electricity to Michigan, New York, and Minnesota,” they concluded.
Please see a joint statement from United States Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and myself:
Today, United States Secretary of Commerce @howardlutnick and Premier of Ontario Doug Ford had a productive conversation about the economic relationship between the United States…
— Doug Ford (@fordnation) March 11, 2025
