Ontario Premier Doug Ford said President Donald Trump can “kiss my a**” on Monday after the latter threatened to impose 50% tariffs on cars, trucks, automotive components, and steel imported from Canada into the United States starting next year.
Trump announced the new tariff threat on Truth Social after trade talks between the U.S. and Canada collapsed over the weekend. The U.S. then implemented 50% tariffs affecting approximately $28 billion in Canadian goods, prompting Prime Minister Mark Carney to announce matching retaliatory tariffs set to take effect on Sept. 8.
The result of the back-and-forth salvos is an ever-deepening trade war between the allies.
Trump “can kiss my a** as far as I’m concerned,” Ford told Canadian radio show host Bill Carroll after the president’s post. “We’re going to go at him full steam.”
In a separate interview with the Associated Press, Ford vowed to cut off electricity and critical minerals from Ontario to the U.S.
Ontario’s leader said electricity exported by Canada powers 1.5 million homes and businesses across certain U.S. states, including Michigan, Minnesota, and New York. Canada’s critical minerals are vital to America’s national security and defense manufacturing.
“I’ll cut them off,” Ford said of his province’s natural resources. “You won’t get a grain of sand out of Ontario.”
“Everything’s on the table. I’ll do whatever it takes,” he added.
The premier’s comments, which rival Trump’s in intensity, will likely escalate tensions between the countries as they impose tariffs on each other. Trump is unlikely to back down.
The president subsequently responded to Ford in a Truth Social post, dismissing the Canadian politician’s remarks as nothing more than “bluster” while arguing Canada heavily relies on the U.S.
“Without the United States, Canada couldn’t survive,” Trump wrote in part. “It’s where they get all of their money and, because of their current bad leadership, primarily Governor Carney, and his Flunky, Ford, they will not be allowed to keep taking advantage of the United States — Their key to survival.”
Trump said Canada gets much of its electricity, oil, and gas supplies from the U.S., which is why he believes Canada should back down from its threats.
“Someone should get these clowns to ‘fall in line’ or, the consequences for Canada will be far WORSE!” Trump continued.
The trade dispute stemmed from a disagreement during the final stretch of negotiations for a new U.S.-Canada-Mexico Agreement. Both sides blamed the other for the breakdown in negotiations.
Ford also fired back at Trump over his public admiration for President Ronald Reagan, who was not fond of high tariffs during his two-term tenure in the White House.
Reagan would “be throwing up on him from the picture [displayed in the Oval Office] if he knew what was going on, spinning around in his grave right now,” Ford told the Associated Press. “He should maybe take that picture off the wall and move it somewhere else. Because right now, Ronald Reagan would be disgusted with President Trump.”
WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE IMPENDING US-CANADA TRADE ‘WAR’
Last year, Ford invoked Reagan in an anti-tariff advertisement targeting Trump’s trade measures at the time. The ad angered Trump, who then halted trade talks with Canada.
Asked by Carroll if he plans to re-air the Reagan commercial amid the renewed trade war, Ford simply said, “Stay tuned.”
