Ford says Trump dropping plan to double steel, aluminum tariffs

Premier Doug Ford says U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick committed to dropping U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff on Canadian aluminum and steel back to 25% after Ontario agreed to pause a surcharge on electricity exports to the United States.

Earlier Tuesday, Trump posted on social media that he would double the duties set to be implemented Wednesday in response to Ontario’s decision to place a 25% surcharge on electricity exports to three U.S. states.

Ford and Lutnick spoke by phone later in the day.

A joint statement from Ford and Lutnick says they will meet in Washington on Thursday to discuss a renewed Canada-U.S.-Mexico-Agreement ahead of Trump’s April 2 “reciprocal” tariff deadline.

Ford told NBC News it’s time for both sides to sit down at the negotiating table.

When Trump was asked about Ford’s decision to drop the surcharge, the president said he was considering it and called the Ontario premier both a “strong man” and a “gentleman.”

Kelly Geraldine Malone, The Canadian Press

Kelly Geraldine Malone is a reporter with The Canadian Press, a national news agency headquartered in Toronto and founded in 1917.