Trump's Done Messing Around: He's Escalating a Major Tariff War
President Donald Trump is taking an assertive stance in the escalating tariff dispute between the United States and Canada.
Early Tuesday, Trump used his Truth Social platform to declare a new round of tariffs in response to Ontario Premier Doug Ford imposing a levy on the electricity supplied to the northeastern U.S.
(Ford’s move was a direct response to Trump’s initial tariffs, which aimed to hold America’s neighboring countries accountable regarding illegal immigration.)
“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,” Trump stated. “This will go into effect TOMORROW MORNING, March 12th.”
The former and potentially future president wasn’t stopping there.
“Also, Canada must immediately drop their Anti-American Farmer Tariff of 250% to 390% on various U.S. dairy products, which has long been considered outrageous,” Trump continued.
Interestingly, he also introduced a measure to counter Ford’s electricity tariff.
“I will shortly be declaring a National Emergency on Electricity within the threatened area,” Trump declared. “This will allow the U.S. to quickly do what has to be done to alleviate this abusive threat from Canada.”
Crucially, Trump underscored his seriousness by setting a firm deadline for additional tariffs that could significantly impact Canada’s economy.
“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,” he warned.
He further added: “Those cars can easily be made in the USA!”
Trump also reiterated concerns about Canada’s reliance on the U.S. for national security and once again floated an idea he has mentioned before—integrating Canada as an official part of the United States.
“Also, Canada pays very little for National Security, relying on the United States for military protection,” Trump asserted. “We are subsidizing Canada to the tune of more than 200 Billion Dollars a year.
“WHY??? This cannot continue.
“The only thing that makes sense is for Canada to become our cherished Fifty First State. This would make all Tariffs, and everything else, totally disappear. Canadians’ taxes will be very substantially reduced, they will be more secure, militarily and otherwise, than ever before, there would no longer be a Northern Border problem, and the greatest and most powerful nation in the World will be bigger, better and stronger than ever—And Canada will be a big part of that.”
While Trump has framed these measures as part of his America First agenda, his approach has not received universal backing from local officials.
New York’s Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul, for instance, criticized the tariffs, stating they had “been poorly conceived from the start,” according to the New York Post.