Doug Ford reflects on heated exchanges with Donald Trump

'It got a little personal,' Ontario premier says during appearance on CNN’s The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer

Published Aug 25, 2026  •  Last updated 14 minutes ago  •  3 minute read

Ontario Premier Doug Ford speaks to members of the media in Hamilton about the ongoing trade concerns with the United States of America, Monday, August 24, 2026. Ford was on American television on Tuesday morning answering questions in regard to the ongoing trade war between the United States and Canada Photo by [Photo By Peter J Thompson/National Post][For National Post Story by TBA/National Post]

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A significantly calmer Ontario Premier Doug Ford made a handful of appearances on American television on Tuesday. 

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Ford and United States President Donald Trump exchanged heated words on Monday amid the growing unease on both sides of the border after trade negotiations between the two nations stalled on Friday night.  

“Both things got a little heated,” Ford said on CNN’s The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer on Tuesday morning. “It got a little personal (Monday) between the president and myself, but I want to make a good deal for the American people, good deal for the Canadians.” 

On Monday, Trump posted on Truth Social that Ford was a “flunky” to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and said he was the “unimpressive brother” to the now-deceased ex-Toronto mayor Rob Ford. Ford responded by calling Trump a “loser,” a “dictator” and the “king of bankruptcies,” among other things. 

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‘Lake America’

But Tuesday brought a less animated premier, even when Trump posted a comment on Truth Social, the president considering a name change from Lake Ontario to Lake America, in that Trump doesn’t expect to do much business with the province any longer.  

“I think it’s a lot of rhetoric because we’re the No. 1 customer to 17 states, and No. 2 to 12 others,” Ford told Blitzer. “… I feel that we need to get back to the table and build the, as I always say, Fortress North America. We’re stronger working together, rather than attacking each other. It just doesn’t make sense.” 

According to the BBC, 70,000 Canadians have signed an online petition calling for the U.S. ambassador to be expelled for undermining diplomatic relations between the two countries. The BBC said the woman who started the petition is from Calgary.  

“I don’t agree with expelling any American diplomats, especially the ambassador,” Ford said. “He has a job and a role to play. I understand that, and I don’t believe in that, whatsoever. Let’s try to work out a deal, and that’s what we need to do.” 

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Courting the Euro

Ford made an appearance on ABC News Live with Kyra Phillips on Tuesday afternoon.

Carney said recently that Canada would begin trade discussion with the EU to build a “much stronger and deeper economic and security partnership. We can build such unparalleled access because we are trusted, we are reliable and because we have what the world wants.” 

Ford told Phillips: “I didn’t say replace. I would say diversify right now. It really woke us up, President Trump has united the country like I have ever seen before, but we do have to diversify, and we have for the last year. We have seen increased trade with the European Union and the U.K. and over in Asia, upwards 100 to 150% because people around the world feel like President Trump has been attacking them. So, it is unfortunate that is happening, but we are going to continue to diversify our trade and once that train leaves the train station, it is hard to bring them back.” 

According to European Commission Trade and Economic Security website, since 2025, the EU and Canada bilateral trade in goods and services increased 80%, reaching approximately $210 billion.  

Bilateral trade is the exchange of goods and services between two specific countries.

More to come …

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