Ontario Premier Doug Ford on Monday escalated the cross-border trade dispute, warning that the province could halt electricity exports to the United States if the White House follows through on new tariffs. The threat marks the second public confrontation between Ford and President Donald Trump over trade policy in recent months.
Speaking to reporters, Ford said "everything is on the table" when it comes to retaliatory measures, emphasizing Ontario's role as a key energy supplier to the northern US grid. "We power 1.5 million homes and businesses. Everything's on the table. I'll do whatever it takes," he said. He also vowed to block all exports from the province, adding, "You won't get a grain of sand out of Ontario."
The province's electricity system is directly interconnected with Michigan, New York, and Minnesota, making the threat significant for those states' power reliability. Ford had previously floated similar measures during earlier trade negotiations, but tensions were defused after a meeting with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. That diplomatic channel has now broken down as Trump imposed a 50% tariff on $20 billion worth of Canadian goods.
Ottawa had already signaled it would respond with counter-tariffs before Ford's energy threat, and the federal government has also floated restricting US access to Canada's critical minerals. The escalating measures reflect a broader collapse in trade talks that has left both sides digging in.
Trump responded on Truth Social, calling Ford the "overall unimpressive brother of the late, great, Rob Ford"—a reference to Doug's older brother, who served as Toronto's mayor. The president accused Canada of "bad leadership" under Prime Minister Mark Carney and dismissed Ford as "Flunky Ford." He urged both leaders to "fall in line," to which Ford retorted, "kiss my a--."
Canadian Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre urged caution, calling for Parliament to be reconvened to address the crisis. "As Canadians are vulnerable to an escalating trade war with the United States, Parliament must be reconvened. Canadians deserve answers on how trade talks collapsed, what tariffs will cost their families, and how their jobs will be protected," he said Monday on X.
The dispute has drawn attention from US lawmakers, including Senator Susan Collins, who has warned about the impact on Maine and other northern states that rely on Canadian energy. Meanwhile, some Republican figures, such as Oklahoma's GOP runoff candidate Gentner Drummond, have broken with Trump over tariffs, highlighting the political divisions the trade war is creating.
Ford's threat comes as the Trump administration continues to push a hardline trade agenda, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reportedly preparing sweeping sanctions on Iran in a separate economic confrontation. The ongoing disputes have raised concerns about the stability of North American trade relations and the potential for broader economic fallout.
As the standoff continues, the immediate focus remains on whether talks can resume before the tariffs take full effect. Ford has given no indication of backing down, and Trump shows no sign of softening his rhetoric. The next move is likely to come from the federal level, with Carney's government expected to announce its formal retaliatory package in the coming days.
