Doug Ford, who said in 2016 that his support for Donald Trump was “unwavering,” has emerged as one of the U.S. president’s harshest critics following the controversial rollout of 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian products.
Ford has been on the campaign trail ahead of a snap election called for February, touting himself as the only candidate who can defend Ontario from Trump, including through multiple appearances on the U.S. TV news circuit.
On Monday morning, Ford appeared remotely as a guest on Fox News, where he spoke to host Brian Kilmeade about the impending sanctions and how they will hurt people on both sides of the border.
It was a pleasure joining @FoxNews this morning on Fox and Friends to speak directly to Americans. A tariff war started by the U.S. will only hurt workers and raise costs for hard-working families on both sides of the border. pic.twitter.com/xNU16Ud6W1
— Doug Ford (@fordnation) February 3, 2025
“Hopefully, calmer heads will prevail,” Ford told Kilmeade, reminding the host that “we’re the number-one customer to the U.S., and 28 states rely on us for the products that they ship up.”
Ford doubled down on his stance of cooperation with the states, saying, “I just want to build a strong AM-CAN fortress. The strongest, most prosperous, safest two countries in the world.”
He also underscored Canada’s strategic value as an ally, asking Kilmeade, “When China is cutting you off critical minerals, who has the critical minerals? Canada. Ontario.”
Ford stressed the importance of exported Canadian minerals for the U.S. industrial market and military interests, and warned Fox News viewers that Americans rely on over 1.2 billion barrels of Canadian oil annually.
Despite an air of hostility between the two nations, Ford told Fox News viewers that Canadians and Americans “need to work together and be two strong nations.”
When Kilmeade noted Donald Trump’s recent social media claims that Americans “don’t need anything [Canadians] have” and boasts that the United States has “unlimited energy” resources, Ford argued that about much of the U.S.’s oil needs are met by Canada, and parts of the country could go dark without Canadian energy exports.
“Ontario alone keeps the lights on for 1.5 million homes in New York, Michigan and Minnesota,” argued Ford. “We just do not understand [Trump] spending time and energy on his closest friend, his treasured ally since 1867.”
Kilmeade asked Ford how he would try to resolve the situation if given a chance to meet with Trump.
“We’re both businesspeople. I’m a businessperson, he’s a businessperson. We sit down and negotiate and look at the benefits,” said Ford.
“What’s going to happen, Brian, is very simple. Inflation’s going to happen in the U.S.. It’s going to happen in Canada. Interest rates will go up.”
Ford appealed to Fox News’ viewer demographic by noting that “buying a pickup truck manufactured here is going to cost Americans 25 per cent more.”
“We’re your allies. We’re your friends. We need to build a strong two nations, not fight each other.”
Ford closed out his Fox News appearance with the claim that Trump’s tariffs benefit China more than they do the United States.
