Ontario Premier Doug Ford sharply escalated his clash with Donald Trump, telling the president to “kiss my a**” and warning that his province could cut electricity exports to the United States in retaliation for the latest round of tariffs.
As the Canada-U.S. trade dispute deepened on Monday, Ford said Ottawa and the provinces should be prepared to “throw everything in the kitchen sink” at Trump if Washington continues to target Canadian industries.
“He’s arrogant. He’s cocky,” Ford said during a radio interview, speaking just hours after Trump announced fresh tariffs aimed at Canada’s auto sector.
The Ontario premier warned that the province could respond by shutting off electricity exports if Trump keeps pressuring Canadian manufacturing and the broader economy.
“We power 1.5 million homes and businesses,” Ford told the Associated Press separately. “Everything’s on the table. I’ll do whatever it takes.”
“[Trump] better have a pack of batteries,” Ford added.
Trump fired back on Truth Social, dismissing Ford’s comments as “bluster” and claiming the United States had been “carrying Canada for decades.”
“The USA will always be far bigger, richer, and stronger than Canada,” Trump wrote.
Donald Trump waves the green flag to start the race with first lady Melania Trump at his side, during the Freedom 250 Grand Prix Race on the streets of Washington, on August 23
Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney watches as Ontario Premier Doug Ford tightens a screw at the Darlington Energy Complex in Courtice, Ontario, Canada, October 23
Electricity transmission lines are seen along the Finch Hydro Corridor in Toronto, Ontario
He warned that Canada would face consequences that were ‘far worse’ if its leaders did not ‘fall in line,’ while accusing the country of exploiting the US.
Canada supplied about 5 percent of New England’s power in 2024, although its share has been as high as 15 percent during peak winter months.
Ford also warned that Canada could restrict supplies of critical minerals to the US as the trade war escalates.
‘I’ll cut them off,’ Ford said. ‘You won’t get a grain of sand out of Ontario.’
His threat came just hours after Trump announced that tariffs on Canadian cars, trucks, automotive parts and steel would rise to 50 percent from January 1.
‘Canada has been ripping off the United States of America for years,’ Trump posted on Truth Social on Monday.
‘Canada will be treated like a state no longer,’ Trump added. ‘They feel entitled, and yet, we don’t need Canada, they need us.’
Trump also accused Canada of imposing ‘ridiculously high tariffs’ on US farmers, saying they had made life ‘impossible for these great American Patriots.’
Trump welcomes Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney at the White House in Washington, October 7
Ford F-150s at the Ford Motor Company Dearborn Truck Plant in Dearborn
Ford said Trump had ‘declared war, economic war against his closest friend and ally’ and accused him of underestimating Canada’s willingness to fight back.
The Ontario premier, who is a center-right conservative, even invoked Ronald Reagan, saying the former president would be sick if he knew what Trump was doing to Canada.
‘He’d be throwing up … if he knew what was going on, spinning around in his grave right now,’ Ford said.
Ford added: ‘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.’
The latest escalation follows the collapse of month-long trade negotiations between Washington and Ottawa last week.
Prime Minister Mark Carney walked away from the talks after Washington sought concessions Canada said would have limited its ability to negotiate trade agreements with other countries.
Carney called the demand ‘unacceptable’ and ‘a question of sovereignty’ before vowing to retaliate against the US.
‘Canada will match those tariffs dollar for dollar to protect our workers and businesses,’ Carney said Saturday.
Canada’s retaliatory tariffs are due to begin September 8 and will target US steel, dairy, agricultural equipment and other goods.
The US imposed 50 percent tariffs Saturday on roughly $20 billion worth of Canadian products, including agricultural supplies, dairy, alcohol, clothing and electronics.
Ontario plants and their US counterparts share supply chains so closely that parts can cross the border several times before a vehicle is finished.
Trump’s new threat puts Ontario’s car plants and thousands of jobs directly in the crosshairs, with Ford accusing the president of gutting Canadian industry piece by piece to push production over the border.
‘He wants to bleed out every single sector and bring them down to the US,’ Ford said.
Ford said Canada should keep negotiating despite the deepening rift, adding: ‘I never believe in walking away from the table. Continue negotiating and see where we go.’
