President Trump declares national emergency as trade war between Canada intensifies

At a press conference on Monday (March 10), Ford said: “We will apply maximum pressure to maximise our leverage.

“That’s why today we’re moving forward with a 25 percent surcharge on electricity exports.

“For the 1.5 million American homes and businesses that Ontario powers, homes and businesses in Minnesota, Michigan and New York, this surcharge will cost families and businesses in these states up to $400,000 dollars each and every single day.

“On an average, this will add around $100 dollars per month to the bills of hardworking Americans.”

It all began after the president signed an executive order in which Trump claimed Canada, Mexico and China pose an ‘extraordinary threat’ due to the number of ‘illegal aliens and drugs’ smuggled into the States, and even constituted it as a ‘national emergency’.

President Donald Trump has declared a national emergency (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Following the order, the US’ two neighbors were originally hit with 25 percent tax on all imports into the US, although they didn’t come into effect until March 4, while China’s initial 10 percent tariff was doubled by the Republican’s administration due to China retaliating with its own high tariffs.

Trump’s social media post continued: “If other egregious, long time Tariffs are not likewise dropped by Canada, I 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.”

He went on to claim Canadian cars can ‘easily be made in the USA’, and that Canada pays ‘very little for national security, relying on the United States for military protection’.

The 47th POTUS went on to push his administration’s plans of incorporating Canada to become ‘our cherished’ 51st state.

“This would make all Tariffs, and everything else, totally disappear,” he claimed.