JUST IN: Trump Drops The Hammer, Doubles Tariffs On Canada After Threat From Ontario Premier

President Donald Trump announced a dramatic escalation in trade tensions with Canada on Tuesday, ordering a sharp increase in tariffs on steel and aluminum imports in response to what he described as a “threat” from Ontario’s premier regarding electricity exports to the United States.

Trump made the announcement on Truth Social, stating that due to Ontario’s imposition of a 25% tariff on electricity being sold to the U.S., he was instructing the Secretary of Commerce to raise tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum from 25% to 50%. The escalation began when Ontario Premier Doug Ford imposed a 25% surcharge on electricity exports to U.S. states, including Michigan, Minnesota, and New York.

The president did not stop at steel and aluminum tariffs. He warned that unless Canada eliminates what he called “other egregious, long time Tariffs,” he will “substantially increase, on April 2nd, the Tariffs on Cars coming into the U.S. which will, essentially, permanently shut down the automobile manufacturing business in Canada.”

Beyond tariffs, Trump also announced: “I will shortly be declaring a National Emergency on Electricity within the threatened area. This will allow the U.S to quickly do what has to be done to alleviate this abusive threat from Canada.”

Trump further criticized U.S. reliance on Canadian electricity, questioning: “Why would our Country allow another Country to supply us with electricity, even for a small area? Who made these decisions, and why? And can you imagine Canada stooping so low as to use ELECTRICITY, that so affects the life of innocent people, as a bargaining chip and threat? They will pay a financial price for this so big that it will be read about in History Books for many years to come!”

Steel girder and two meter web installed on a bridge abutment and scaffolding as part of a new interchange in southern Saskatchewan Canada for a new freeway system and extension of the Trans-Canada

The move has led to increased prices for these metals in the U.S. and contributed to a nearly 600-point drop in the Dow Jones Industrial Average as of Tuesday.

Perhaps the most important part of Trump’s announcement was his proposal that Canada should become “our cherished Fifty First State” to eliminate all tariffs and trade disputes between the two nations. “This would make all Tariffs, and everything else, totally disappear,” Trump wrote.

“Canadians’ taxes will be very substantially reduced, they will be more secure, militarily and otherwise, than ever before, there would no longer be a Northern Border problem, and the greatest and most powerful nation in the World will be bigger, better and stronger than ever — And Canada will be a big part of that,” he continued.

“The artificial line of separation drawn many years ago will finally disappear, and we will have the safest and most beautiful Nation anywhere in the World — And your brilliant anthem, ‘O Canada,’ will continue to play, but now representing a GREAT and POWERFUL STATE within the greatest Nation that the World has ever seen!”

In December, during a meeting with Canadian then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Trump referred to him as “Governor Justin Trudeau of the Great State of Canada,” implying annexation. He later suggested that Canada could avoid U.S. tariffs by becoming part of the United States.

In January, Trump stated he would use “economic force” to encourage Canada to join the U.S. but ruled out military action.