After calling President Donald Trump a “loser” and the “king of bankruptcies” who could “kiss my ass,” Ontario Premier Doug Ford is embarking on a tour of United States news networks, striking a more conciliatory tone.
“Things got a little heated, it got a little personal yesterday,” Premier Doug Ford told CNN on Tuesday morning, agreeing with Wolf Blitzer that it was time to lower the temperature.
“I want to make a deal. A good deal for the American people, a good deal for the Canadians. We’re the two greatest countries in the world, we’re each other’s number one customer and it’s time to get back to the table.”
The more measured tone came the day after Trump described Ford as “the less charismatic, intelligent, and overall unimpressive brother of the late, great, Rob Ford” in a post on Truth Social.
During a 45-minute news conference, the Ontario premier repeatedly hit back.
“I don’t respond to a dictator like President Trump, a bully like President Trump,” Ford told reporters. “I’m not going to take any advice off a guy that’s the king of bankruptcies.”
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Later, he concluded: “Let’s be clear, I don’t like the guy — simple.”
Then, on Tuesday morning, Trump posted online again, this time musing about renaming Lake Ontario as Lake America as relations between the president and Canada’s most populous province deteriorated.
The change would be similar to the Republican president’s executive order last year to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.
The Great Lakes — Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie and Superior — are a chain of five freshwater lakes that hold roughly one-fifth of the world’s surface fresh water. Lake Ontario, which the province is named after, shares a border with the U.S. states of New York and Pennsylvania.
Michigan is the only Great Lake that doesn’t border Canada.
Ford, however, didn’t bite back in his interview with CNN.
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“I think it’s a lot of rhetoric,” he told Blitzer. “When President Trump wants to attack our sovereignty and attack our businesses and people in Ontario, I can’t roll over. My job is to protect Ontario and Canada.”
The premier was at Queen’s Park on Tuesday to record various United States news segments, but didn’t stop to speak to Ontario reporters.
As the premier walked from one room to another at the Ontario legislature, he batted away the idea that his rhetoric had gone too far on Monday.
“No, not at all,” he said. “Not at all.”
Ford is also scheduled to appear on ABC News, CBS and Bloomberg Washington throughout the day.
The United States and Canada are locked in a trade dispute after Prime Minister Mark Carney suspended trade talks last Friday, accusing the U.S. of trying to introduce last-minute demands that would limit Canada’s ability to make trade deals with other countries and protect its culture and sovereignty.
The U.S. introduced a new round of 50 per cent tariffs on Canadian exports on Saturday, targeting goods worth $28 billion. Canada announced retaliatory measures Tuesday that will go into effect Sept. 8.
— with files from Global News’ Aaron D’Andrea
Someone shoot Ford, that fu *cking gimp.
Good job Dougie, keep sh*tting in Tramps mouth!
Have fun swimming in lake America Doug!
51 please.
Canada’s own little fat Trump. F*CK YOU FORD!
Ford knows his poll numbers are the lowest ever and this was all show to prop them up. All bluster, all talk, all fake. All while he makes even more cuts to our healthcare system.
This fat f *uck Ford needs to be assassinated long before he dies of heart disease or cancer.
Good job Dougie, keep sticking to Tramp, that sack of shat!
I think Doug Ford should be fired for all his comments on Trump all it does is make things worse
Dougie is having fun getting Trumpie riled up. Take it with a grain of salt & enjoy the show! Ha!
I hate Drug Lord but sometimes a mouthy little weasel is just what’s needed. And no, I don’t mean PeePee Polydipsh*t – he’s a loser!
Epstein! Epstein! Epstein!
86 47!!
People are gonna travel from around world to shat in Tramps casket one day!
Just remember ford you bafoon your oil and gas comes thru the US
Typical down syndrome Ford fell for it. Trump playing con artist like a fiddle
Ontario does not a border with Epstein err I mean Pennsylvania. Lay off the pipe and needle.
Ford did exactly what the majority of us would have. We should have taken a tougher stance long ago with the orange cheeto.
I love ford…not the us car company…actually, I am going to get rid of my gm car and buy a byd…,
So Ford admits he is a foolish child with a low IQ.
Ford just shoved a watermelon in Tromps azz, good job!
When he says he “can’t roll over” it means he won’t be able to get up after.
I heard Ford’s WSIB board fired all the Canadian workers and outsourced everything to a company from Texas,
They say that is why he needed a jet.
Premier Ford’s words remind me of mayor Chow’s dance moves.
Let Ford play the bad cop and ruffle the feathers of the USA.
Ford needs to think before he speaks and makes idle threats. That’s twice now he has threatened to cut off the electricity and still hasn’t done it which makes him look stupid. Is it any wonder Trump push’s his buttons any chance he gets. The worse thing you can do to Trump is not to engage in his stupid ramblings.
Ford is an idiot who also lets Trump live in his mind rent free and allows his emotions to take control. He should not be premier of Ontario with such a lack of control over his emotions.
The thing is Doug, you’re much the same as Trump. You belittle people, you get unreasonably angry and lash out childishly. You take things personally and your first reaction is almost always exactly the wrong thing to do.
Right now Canada needs a calm, reasonable and logical response to Trump and his cohorts.
Ridiculous. these tariffs must be hitting Mr. fords personal pocket books to make such remarks, and biting the hand that essentially feeds all Canadians. Unfortunately many with this “Canadian pride” have their “elbows up” so deep in their own a$$’s, they approve of this fools decisions. These Retaliatory decisions from or wonderful leaders will only hurt the average taxpayer.
Hard to imagine liking anything coming from Dougie but he’s saying what many are thinking or want to hear coming from leadership. Carney has to keep options open and manipulate Trump – sounding off would not be useful long term, stern & committed is fine but the PM just lipping off would not be useful. Dougie can play that part just fine.
My personal take on the events between Premier Ford and the the other person is not very becoming of any leader.
It only takes away and of the good he has done while running Ontario, he should stop lowering himself to the others infantile mentality.
Come on Premier Ford let’s regain the proper dignity your position has in the world.
Thanks