Washington, D.C. – Former U.S. President Donald Trump has lashed out at Canada, labeling the country a “tariff abuser” after Ontario imposed a 25 percent surcharge on electricity exports to three U.S. states.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced Monday that the province would levy the surcharge on power supplied to Michigan, Minnesota, and New York, impacting approximately 1.5 million homes and businesses. The move, Ford said, was a direct response to Trump’s tariff policies, which have thrown U.S.-Canada trade relations into turmoil.
Trump swiftly condemned the measure on his Truth Social platform, arguing that Ontario was “not even allowed to do that.” He declared that the United States no longer needed Canadian energy, lumber, or automobiles, adding, “Canada is a Tariff abuser, and always has been, but the United States is not going to be subsidizing Canada any longer.”
The former president reaffirmed his plan to impose sweeping “reciprocal” tariffs on all U.S. trading partners beginning April 2. “Because our Tariffs are reciprocal, we’ll just get it all back on April 2,” he wrote.
Trump’s administration had already imposed 25 percent tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports, with some exemptions granted later. However, about 62 percent of Canadian goods remain subject to levies, including energy resources, which face a lower 10 percent tariff. Additionally, tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from Canada are set to take effect Wednesday.
Ontario’s Ford remained defiant, stating that the province would continue to push back against U.S. tariffs. “Until the threat of tariffs is gone for good, Ontario will not relent,” he said. “We need to sit down, work together, and land a fair deal. Until then, Ontario will keep up the fight.”
Ford warned that the surcharge could increase average electricity bills in the affected U.S. states by roughly $100 per month. He also did not rule out further escalation, saying, “If necessary, if the United States escalates, I will not hesitate to shut the electricity off completely.”
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, a former Democratic vice-presidential candidate, criticized Trump’s handling of the trade war, calling it a burden on everyday Americans. “Minnesotans struggling to pay their skyrocketing electric bill are the first victims of Trump’s trade war,” he wrote on X. “We have to put a stop to this madness.”
With tensions rising and the April 2 tariff deadline approaching, the U.S.-Canada trade dispute appears far from resolution.
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