Ontario Premier Doug Ford hit back at President Donald Trump on Tuesday as the trade war between Canada and the United States ramps up.
After already imposing a 25% tariff, Trump announced on Tuesday in a Truth Social statement that he’s doubling that in response to Ford placing his own 25% charge on electricity sent to the U.S.. Trump said his tariffs will affect steel and aluminum coming from Canada and continued to push for the United States’ absorption of its northern neighbor.
“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,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Ford joined MSNBC’s Ana Cabrera following Trump’s announcement and responded with an apology to the American people, as well as a promise to Trump to be “relentless” against an “unprovoked attack.”
“We will not back down. We will be relentless. I apologize to the American people that President Trump decided to have an unprovoked attack on our country, on our families, on jobs, and it’s unacceptable. Let’s work together,” Ford said.
The Canadian premier argued American markets are “tumbling” amid concerns about tariffs and continuing inflation, and predicted a bleak future in which numerous automakers shut
Ford argued:
Assembly plants in Michigan will shut down, and around the country who makes autos, as well as business, they’re going to hurt. And these pensions, when the market goes down it’s going to affect people’s pensions. So I’m not too sure why he continues to attack his closest friends and allies, but we need the American people to speak up. We need those CEOs to actually get a backbone and stand in front of them and tell him, this is going to be a disaster. It’s mass chaos right now. That’s what we need.
Ford noted the United States also ships in oil, high grade nickel, and more from Canada, and it makes no sense for the countries to not be working together in negotiations.
“Fighting like this does not make sense, but I will respond appropriately on the electricity. Stay tuned,” he said.
If a recession hits both countries, Ford added, it will be the fault of one man.
“I stress this is not the American people. Canadians know it. And if we go into a recession, it’s self-made by one person. It’s called President Trump’s recession,” he said. “We shouldn’t be this way. We should be booming, both countries right now.”
Watch above via MSNBC.