During a recent radio interview, Ontario Premier Doug Ford made headlines when he told U.S. President Donald Trump to “kiss [his] ass.” This bold statement came as a response to ongoing tensions between Canada and the United States, particularly following a series of trade disputes.
In the aftermath, Trump retaliated with an online post on his platform, Truth Social, labeling Ford a “flunky” and unfavorably comparing him to his deceased brother, Rob Ford, the former mayor of Toronto. This exchange highlights the growing animosity after Prime Minister Mark Carney decided to exit trade negotiations with Trump’s team. Carney accused the U.S. representatives of introducing last-minute changes that rendered the proposed deal impractical.
In response to Canada’s withdrawal from the talks, the Canadian government has pledged to impose dollar-for-dollar tariffs on U.S. goods. In retaliation, Trump threatened to enact a staggering 50 percent tariff on Canadian vehicles, auto parts, and steel. The escalating trade war prompted Ford to threaten to cut off critical supplies of electricity and minerals flowing from Ontario to the United States.
Throughout the tension, Trump continued to express his views via social media. In his statement, he stated, “Lots of ‘bluster’ from Doug Ford,” adding that Ford is better known as the “less charismatic, intelligent, and overall unimpressive brother” of Rob Ford. Trump went on to declare that America has been “carrying Canada for decades” and that the U.S. is “far bigger, richer, and stronger than Canada.” In his view, without the financial support from the United States, Canada would struggle to survive.
Ford, addressing Trump's remarks at a news conference later that day, did not delve into specifics but took the opportunity to criticize the U.S. President directly. “I don’t respond to a dictator like President Trump, a bully like President Trump,” he stated. He characterized Trump as a schoolyard bully who would take someone’s lunch money and insisted that insults from Trump do not affect him. Ford boasted about his resilience, claiming, “I’ve got skin on me like an alligator,” and dismissed Trump’s attempts at intimidation as futile.
Ford revealed that he discussed his controversial “kiss my ass” comment with PM Carney, who reportedly did not object to the sentiment. “He wasn’t against that,” Ford recounted. Additionally, he jokingly remarked that he had “a lot of real estate on [his] ass,” suggesting that Trump had ample room to follow through with his statement.
Looking ahead, Ford indicated intentions to revisit the idea of implementing a surcharge on the electricity exported to certain U.S. states—an action he previously considered but later rescinded. The situation was further aggravated when Ontario aired anti-tariff advertisements featuring a voiceover from former President Ronald Reagan, which did not sit well with the Trump administration.
“That electricity surcharge is going to be on the table,” Ford asserted. While he mentioned holding off on further advertisements to prevent any additional escalation, he maintained that Canada needed to respond assertively. To close his remarks, Ford delivered a final jab at Trump, stating, “I have more courage and more brains in my baby toe than he has in his whole body.”
