President Donald Trump this week took to social media to criticized the deal that allows Canada to supply electricity to the U.S., questioning who made such a decision. But, as it turns out, he was the one who negotiated it.
Trump’s frustration came amid a trade dispute with Canada, especially after Ontario Premier Doug Ford decided to suspend a 25% electricity surcharge on three U.S. states. On Truth Social, Trump posted: “Why would our Country allow another Country to supply us with electricity, even for a small area?
“Who made these decisions, and why?” the president demanded.
The agreement Trump was referring to was part of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which he helped negotiate in 2018 during his first term. The deal was signed into law in January 2020, replacing the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which Trump had called a “nightmare.”
In December 2019, Trump praised the USMCA on Twitter (now X), saying, “America’s great USMCA Trade Bill is looking good. It will be the best and most important trade deal ever made by the USA… Good for everybody – Farmers, Manufacturers, Energy, Unions – tremendous support.”
The deal maintained the long-standing energy trade between the U.S. and Canada, a relationship that has lasted for over a century. Trump’s deal aimed to “modernize” NAFTA to meet the needs of today’s economy and to benefit American workers, farmers, and businesses.
A White House press release from January 2020 called the USMCA a “historic win for American workers,” with Trump stating that it was the “largest, most significant, modern and balanced trade agreement in history.”
The deal is up for renewal in 2026, and Ford is set to meet with Trump’s former Secretary of Commerce, Howard Lutnick, to discuss potential changes before the April 2 deadline for reciprocal tariffs.
However, after five years, Trump seems to regret the deal, especially given his current trade tensions with Canada. Before Ford canceled the surcharge, Trump had threatened to raise tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum by 25%.
Had the surcharge gone into effect, it could have raised electricity bills by $100 per month for residents in Michigan, New York, and Minnesota, according to Ford.
