President Donald Trump and Canadian Premier Doug Ford embarked on a war of words Tuesday and they traded threats on social media and TV about tariffs on goods between the two countries.
After Ford announced he would issue an electricity surcharge on three American states using Canadian energy, Trump hit back by increasing taxes on aluminum and steel. Ford then said he would act after meeting with advisors.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average responded to the news by plunging after seeing the worst day of the year Monday.
Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-CA) posted a CNBC link about the tariffs asking, "TL;DR: What does the U.S. need? More housing. What’s needed to build housing? Steel and aluminum. Where do we get a lot of it from? Canada. What did Trump just raise massive 50% import taxes on? Steel and aluminum from Canada. We can't afford this pointless trade war."
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Rep. Darren Soto (D-FL) posted on Blue Sky, "President Trump doubles down on his failed tariff war with Canada. This will continue to raise inflation, wreck job growth, and discourage U.S. investment. His fragile pride will cost all of us."
Journalist David Leavitt pointed out on X, "It’s kinda funny to me that Trump wants Canada to be the 51st state. It would have as many votes as California and skews liberal as well. There would never be another republican President elected again."
"If Trump persists in this trade war against Canada. His tariffs on aluminum and steel could cost America 100,000 jobs. That is the REAL national emergency," said lawyer and commentator Adam Cohen.
"Everything about the Canada insanity (also Greenland) is pure cult of personality around the mad king. Nobody was pushing for this, it didn't bubble up from the NatCon weirdos or Project 2025 or any of those people. He just blurted it out and then they all fell in line telling lies to rationalize it," elections lawyer Andy Craig said on Blue Sky.
Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-MN) asked how everyone's 401k was doing, calling it the "Trump Slump" in reaction to "Trump's trade war."
Political commentator Brian Krassenstein wrote on X, "In case you are wondering why the DOW just plunged another 400 POINTS, it's because: - Trump just raised Steel and Aluminum tariffs on Canada to 50% - Trump said that Canada can have the tariffs removed if they become the 51st state. - Trump threatened massive tariffs on Canadian Automobiles on April 2nd. - Trump Threatens to declare a National Emergency because of Canadian electricity tariffs. In other words, he's destroying our economy."
Software engineer Alex Cole posted Trump's Truth Social rant, commenting, "So when Canada places tariffs, it's an act of war, but when Trump does it, it's 'protecting American jobs'? Got it."
The Intellectualist, an account run by Brian Daitzman, recalled former President Joe Biden's comments in December 2024 expressing his hope that Trump would reconsider his stance on tariffs.