Trump vs. Doug Ford Feud Timeline Amid US-Canada Trade Dispute
Newsweek · C · trust 40/100
0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. Canada's Ontario Premier Doug Ford said former U.S. President Ronald Reagan would be "throwing up" over the trade policies of President Donald Trump. It is just the latest in a series of comments from Ford speaking out against Trump and his policies.
In an interview with The Associated Press, Ford said Trump keeps a portrait of Reagan—a consistently popular Republican president who championed free trade—near his desk, but that the late leader would be "disgusted with President Trump."
Referring to Trump's tariffs and interventionist measures, which he says are at odds with Reagan's economic policies, Ford added, "[Reagan would] be throwing up on him from the picture if he knew what was going on."
Ford's comments on Monday came after trade talks between the U.S. and Canada broke down, with Ottawa retaliating after Trump slapped 50 percent tariffs on $20 billion worth of Canadian goods.
Ford, who has served as premier of the most populous Canadian province since 2018, has repeatedly taken swipes since Trump returned to the Oval Office, although he previously told Politico he would “absolutely” get along with the U.S. president and wanted good ties with the U.S. The U.S. president has directed criticism at Ford and, more broadly, at Ontario.
Newsweek has reached out to the White House and Ford’s office.
January 6, 2025: Trump's threats to impose 25 percent tariffs on products from Canada and rhetoric about wanting to make the country the 51st state prompted mockery from Ford, who said, “I’ll make him a counteroffer, how about if we buy Alaska, and we'll throw in Minnesota and Minneapolis at the same time.”
Minnesota shares a 550-mile border with Canada about 320 miles of which is shared with Ontario.
Ford went on to say Trump was "joking” and that a merger between the countries was "not realistic” as he noted the critical minerals, oil and electricity Canada sends to the U.S.
“These are all areas and different sectors that Americans need and why disrupt that.”
January 22, 2025: In the Politico interview, Ford said, “I’m a street fighter in politics,” adding that, “if someone throws a punch at me, I’m going to hit him back twice as hard.”
Ford said that Trump’s targeting of Canada in a trade war could lead to the premier cutting power transmission to U.S. homes and businesses and banning U.S. liquor from Ontario shelves. He pledged to target red states with dollar-for-dollar retaliation.
However, Ford said that he did not want to make these moves, telling the outlet, “I want to work with President Trump.”
February 27, 2025: After Ford claimed a third straight victory for his Progressive Conservatives in the province's election, he said he had been given a "mandate" to "stand up" to Trump’s tariff threats, adding, "Let me be clear. Canada will never, ever be the 51st state.”
March 4, 2025: Canadian media reported that Ford blamed Trump for "causing chaos" with tariff threats.
Ford criticized Trump and called on U.S. Republican politicians to push back, saying that the U.S. president “needs to pay the price in the midterms," adding, “If I've got to go down there and knock on the doors myself, I will."
March 10, 2025: Ford announced that Ontario would charge 25 percent more for electricity to 1.5 million American homes and businesses in response to Trump’s trade war. Minnesota receives some of its electricity from the Canadian province.
“I will not hesitate to increase this charge. If the United States escalates, I will not hesitate to shut the electricity off completely,” Ford told a news conference in Toronto.
March 26, 2025: F ord mocked Trump’s framing of tariffs as “Liberation Day," days before the U.S. leader announced them on April 2.
“I know President Trump likes telling people, ‘you’re fired.’ I didn’t think he meant auto workers in the U.S.” Ford told a news conference, referring to Trump’s catchphrase on the reality TV show The Apprentice. Ford called the policy, “Termination Day for American workers."
April 24, 2025: During the Canada Growth Summit, Ford accused Trump of wanting to destroy Canadian auto and manufacturing, saying, “I think the cheese slips off the cracker with this guy."
“He wakes up in the morning and even people around him are not too sure what he’s going to do,” Ford added.
August 7, 2025: During an interview with CNN , Ford responded to a question about how Canadians view Trump after tariffs and threats of the country becoming the 51st state.
“He’s probably the most disliked politician in the world in Canada because he’s attacked his closest family member.”
September 29, 2025: After Trump announced new trade measures targeting the global film industry, including a 100 percent tariff on all movies produced outside the U.S., Ford told reporters, “I disagree with anything that guy says. He drives me crazy.”
July 20, 2026: Trump threatened tariffs if Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney didn’t address wildfire smoke coming into the U.S. from Canada, saying it was caused by negligence in forest management and debris removal.
In a news conference, Ford responded, saying, “With all the assets the U.S. has, and he’s sitting there complaining. Why don’t you send up some water bombers? Why don’t you start helping us?”
July 24, 2026: During an interview with CBS News , Ford accused Trump of economically attacking Canada, saying, “When someone comes up and punches you in the face, not once, not twice, 10 times, you have to stand up to that person.”
August 13, 2026: Ford teased the development of data centers in the province, telling an audience in Guelph , “Either we do it, or Donald Trump’s going to do it. And I’m not giving Donald Trump nothing, absolutely nothing.”
August 22, 2026: In his first public comments since the trade spat saw Canada retaliate against Trump's…
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