In a dramatic escalation of trade tensions, Ontario Premier Doug Ford has warned that he could cut electricity to 1.5 million U.S. customers if the Biden administration enforces Donald Trump’s newly announced tariffs. The move comes as Trump seeks to pressure Canada, Mexico, and China over drug trafficking and immigration.
The tariffs—25% on Canadian goods and 10% on energy—were justified by the White House as a crackdown on fentanyl smuggling and illegal border crossings. But Ford, fresh from a landslide reelection, called the measures an attack on Ontario’s economy. “If they want to annihilate us, I’ll shut off their power—and I’ll do it smiling,” he told reporters.
Ontario is a major energy supplier to the northern U.S., powering homes and factories in multiple states. Ford emphasized this leverage in an NBC interview, stating, “They rely on us. If they push us, we’ll push back harder.” His defiance was echoed at a Toronto mining conference, where he vowed to stand firm alongside Canada’s federal government.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has dismissed the tariffs as unjustified, raising the stakes in a growing trade standoff. With neither side willing to yield, the dispute could have far-reaching consequences for cross-border relations.
