Doug Ford, the premier of Ontario, Canada, was mocked on social media after folding like a cheap lawn chair in a short-lived but contentious tariff war with President Donald Trump.
The hilarity unfolded Tuesday, after weeks of tariff wars had been battled out in the political arena. First, Trump imposed tariffs on Canada in February, suspending them for 30 days after promises to help secure the border, Global News outlined. At the beginning of the month, Canada had still not helped as much as promised, so the tariffs went into effect on March 4, prompting Canada to issue their own retaliatory tariffs. Ford issued his own tariffs, slapping on a 25 percent surcharge on electricity exported to Michigan, Minnesota, and New York, which went into effect on Monday.
Trump responded by upping the tariffs on steel and aluminum imports by 25 percent, bringing the total to 50 percent.
Trump said the tariffs were necessary because of Canada’s longstanding, “outrageous” tariffs on American goods, such as a “250% to 390% [surcharge] on various U.S. dairy products.”
Just hours later, Ford caved and announced he would suspend his retaliatory surcharge on America.
However, the original 25 percent tariff that Trump imposed on Canadian steel and aluminum imports remains in effect.
In a statement Tuesday on X, Ford wrote that “Ontario agreed to suspend its 25 per cent surcharge on exports of electricity to Michigan, New York and Minnesota” following a chat with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
Ford added that he would travel to Washington on Thursday to meet with Lutnick and a U.S. trade representative to discuss a renewed USMCA (United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement) ahead of an April 2 reciprocal tariff deadline.
Please see a joint statement from United States Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and myself:
Today, United States Secretary of Commerce @howardlutnick and Premier of Ontario Doug Ford had a productive conversation about the economic relationship between the United States…
— Doug Ford (@fordnation) March 11, 2025
Should Trump continue his tariff war?
In a fiery Truth Social post amid the escalating tit-for-tat drama, Trump questioned the absurdity of the U.S. importing electricity from Canada in the first place.
“Why would our Country allow another Country to supply us with electricity, even for a small area?” the president asked. “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!” Trump underscored.
This incident spotlights why world leaders — be they friend or foe — should not overplay their hand when dealing with the United States.
A glaring example is the epic blunder Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy committed when trying to embarrass Trump when he was supposed to be signing a mineral rights deal between Ukraine and the United States.
As a reminder, Trump berated Zelenskyy on live TV then kicked him out of the White House.
Almost immediately afterward, Zelenskyy came crawling back and apologized to Trump.
Whether the world likes it or not, the United States is the preeminent superpower.
Trump, a billionaire real-estate mogul, is a lifelong businessman who knows how to negotiate and when to call a bluff.
If Doug Ford had not backed down, Trump would undoubtedly have gone ahead with doubling the tariffs on steel and aluminum imports — just as he had promised.
Issuing hollow ultimatums such as Ford did is a poor strategic move that’s always sure to backfire, as evidenced by the trolling he received after bending the knee to Trump.
— Whale Psychiatrist ™️ (@k_ovfefe2) March 11, 2025
— 🅱️ (@Stealth_B__) March 11, 2025
Wise decision Mayor. pic.twitter.com/8HsvjX6nKk
— Vic DeGrammont (@votedegrammont) March 11, 2025
All joking aside, the U.S. should not get complacent and take its superpower status for granted. After all, it wasn’t too long ago that the British Empire crumbled after a legendary, 400-year span.
Now look at the United Kingdom — it’s a sad shell of its former greatness, thanks to unfettered, third-world immigration and self-destructive policies that have eroded social cohesion.
By maintaining its uniquely resilient American identity and not getting dragged into endless foreign wars that waste trillions of dollars and countless lives, the U.S. will hopefully maintain its dominant standing in the world for decades to come.
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