The US President announced new measures against Canada in response to the 25% tax imposed by the Canadian province of Ontario on electricity for the United States.
Trump wrote in Truth Social that he instructed the Secretary of Commerce to increase tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum to 50% from March 12 and does not rule out the introduction of new restrictions. He also demanded that Canada immediately reduce tariffs on US dairy products, calling them «outrageous».
«Soon I will declare an emergency in the power supply area under threat. This will allow the US to quickly take the necessary measures to eliminate this offensive threat from Canada. If Canada does not cancel other blatant and long-standing tariffs, on April 2 I will significantly increase tariffs on cars imported into the US, which will essentially permanently close car manufacturing in Canada», — noted the American president.
After another round of threats, the US President outlined his position on solving the tariff issue: «The only thing that makes sense — is for Canada to become our cherished Fifty-first state». According to Trump, this would lead to «the complete disappearance of all tariffs and everything else». Canadians' taxes would be significantly reduced, and the neighboring country would be protected militarily. «There will no longer be a Northern border problem, and the greatest and most powerful country in the world will become bigger, better, and stronger than ever — and Canada will play a big role in this. The artificial dividing line drawn many years ago will finally disappear, and we will have the safest and most beautiful country in the world. And your brilliant anthem «O, Canada» will continue to play, but now it will represent a great and powerful state within the greatest nation the world has ever seen!»— said Donald Trump.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford stated that he will not back down until Trump's tariffs on Canadian imports are «permanently canceled». «President Trump has unleashed an unprovoked trade and tariff war with America's closest friend and ally. Until the threat of tariffs is completely gone, we will not back down», — said Doug Ford on the X channel shortly after Trump's tariff announcement.
«I don't really understand why he continues to attack his closest friends and allies, but we need the American people to speak out. We need these company leaders to have the courage to stand up to them and say that this will be a disaster. Right now, it's mass chaos», — he later noted in an interview with MSNBC, adding that «if we enter a recession, it will be done by one man, it's called President Trump's recession».
The leader of the opposition Conservative Party of Canada Pierre Poilievre also spoke out regarding the trade war declared by the Trump administration. «Our message to the US administration must be clear: do not take our kindness for weakness, we are a strong, proud, and sovereign country, and we will push back against these attacks on our economy and our workers. And if the president applies new tariffs as he threatened, we will respond to them as well, we will not waver in defending our country, and these attacks will only strengthen our resolve».
On Monday, the Canadian province of Ontario imposed a 25-percent tariff on electricity exported to US states in retaliation for Trump's tariff plans. «This surcharge will affect 1.5 million homes and businesses in Michigan, Minnesota, and New York and will cost up to 400,000 Canadian dollars every day the surcharge remains in effect», — said the Ontario government's statement.
Photo: Reuters