Ontario Premier Doug Ford calls Trump a 'dictator' and 'bully' in tariff fight
Ontario Premier Doug Ford called President Donald Trump a "dictator" and "bully" on Monday, escalating a trade dispute after the U.S. imposed a 50 percent tariff on Canadian goods. Ford also defended his earlier remark telling Trump to "kiss my a**." Ford's comments came after Trump dismissed him as a "flunky" on Truth Social and reaffirmed tariff strategy. The premier accused Trump of taxing Americans and urged voters to reject his allies in midterms. A 50 percent tariff on $20 billion Canadian imports took effect Saturday after negotiations collapsed. Prime Minister Mark Carney likened Trump's actions to an attack and pledged matching retaliatory levies. Trump announced further tariffs on cars and steel effective January 2027. A Pew survey found 60 percent of Americans disapprove of Trump's tariff increases.