Ontario Premier Doug Ford dropped a double-barreled blast Tuesday, pinning any looming recession squarely on U.S. President Donald Trump and threatening to flip the switch on electricity exports to the States if the tariff tiff drags on.
“If a recession hits, there’s one guy to blame—Trump,” Ford told CNBC’s Money Movers, just hours after the president vowed to jack up tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum to a punishing 50%. Trump’s move? A direct counterpunch to Ford’s 25% surcharge on electricity zapping its way to 1.5 million American homes and businesses.
Ford’s not bluffing about retaliation. “Shutting off power to the U.S.? It’s absolutely in our arsenal,” he said, voice steady but sharp. “I’d hate to do it—I’d rather pump more juice to our best buddies south of the border. But if Trump keeps hammering Ontario families, I won’t think twice.”
The premier’s warning comes as Trump’s trade war escalates, with the 50% steel and aluminum tariffs—set to kick in Wednesday—stoking fears of economic chaos on both sides of the line. Ford’s clear: he’s ready to play hardball to shield Canadians, even if it means plunging U.S. border states into the dark.