Ontario Premier Doug Ford tore into President Donald Trump on Monday as a bully, a dictator, and a man unfit to give lessons on economics.
Ford unloaded at a press conference in Hamilton after Trump's Monday announcement of 50% tariffs on Canadian autos and steel — the latest blow after trade talks between the two nations collapsed Friday.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has vowed to match the new levies dollar-for-dollar.
Earlier Monday, Ford told CTV that Trump could "kiss my ass," then elaborated at the press conference.
"I have a lot of real estate on my ass, so he has a lot of room to kiss my ass," Ford told members of the press. "I'm a big dude. What can I say?"
A reporter then told Ford that Trump had posted on Truth Social, taking personal aim at him and calling him a "flunky" of Carney.
"I don't respond to a dictator like President Trump, a bully like President Trump," Ford said. "As I said before, he's the type of guy in school that would take your lunch money one day, take your toque off your head the next day, then steal your running shoes."
"I'm not going to take any advice off a guy that's the king of bankruptcies — and he's actually tariffing his own people, taxing his own people," he added.
Ford then turned directly to Americans, with a warning about the upcoming midterm elections.
"I've always said I love the American people," Ford continued. "I still stand by that statement, because there are a lot of people in the U.S. that are calling me saying, 'Way to go. Keep going.'"
"Your own people, President Trump, don't even like you, and they're going to speak loud and clear when it comes to the midterms," the Canadian leader noted.
Asked whether Trump's personal attacks worried him, Ford did not back down.
"I've been in this game a lot longer than he has," Ford said. "I've got skin on me like an alligator, and you think an insult from him hurts me? Well, bring it on, buddy. I'm ready."
"I've dealt with guys like you my whole life," he continued. "And guess what? Y'all become losers because you're a loser."
The blowup followed Trump's Monday morning Truth Social post targeting Canada. Trump wrote that Canada has been "ripping off" the United States for years, promising 50% tariffs on Canadian cars, trucks, auto parts, and steel beginning Jan. 1, 2027.
Those tariffs follow a wave of 50% levies that took effect on Saturday, according to CBS News, after negotiations between the two countries broke down.
"He might as well call up the Energizer Bunny, because he should be powering his facilities," Ford said, according to Mediaite, threatening to cut electricity to U.S. manufacturing plants.
