Ontario Premier and Progressive Conservative leader Doug Ford on a hot mic Monday night said he was “100%” happy President Trump won the US election.
Trump beat Democrat candidate and VP Kamala Harris in the United States general election in November 2024. Trump since his January 20 inauguration has been hotly threatening 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico due to weak border security.
Twice now Trump has relented at the 11th hour and given temporary reprieve from the impending tariffs. Initially, they were to be imposed on inauguration day, and then they were delayed to February 1.
The tariffs have now been postponed to March 1, after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised a litany of measures to secure the border, including appointing a “Fentanyl Czar” — fentanyl being a dangerous, illegal drug Trump accused Canada of allowing to be trafficked, resulting in it “flooding” into the US.
Ford last week called a snap election, nearly a year and a half earlier than the next scheduled vote. He had earlier expressed confidence he will win an even stronger mandate than he did in the 2022 election — all with the focus of “fighting” Trump’s then-imminent tariffs.
The Ontario election, scheduled for February 27, has turned into a rat race on who can come up with the best solution for combatting —- not working with — Trump’s administration and the still very real possibility of 25% tariffs.
Now it has been revealed on video that Ford has been pulling for Trump’s presidency all along. He was caught on a hot mic (an active microphone) at his Etobicoke campaign office Monday evening stating his support for Trump — and lamenting the way the tables turned abruptly with the tariff situation.
“On election day, was I happy this guy won? 100% I was,” said Ford on the hot mic.
“Then the guy pulled out the knife and f***ing yanked it in me.”
Ford reportedly made the candid remarks in front of Tory candidates Christine Hogarth and David Piccini, as well as several members of the Ontario Professional Fire Fighters Association, a group that endorsed Ford and the PCs in the upcoming election.
Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie capitalized on Ford’s admission and released an anti-PC campaign video.
New Democratic Leader Marit Stiles commented on Ford’s remarks in a post to social media Tuesday.
“Doug Ford keeps making the case for why he's not the guy for this job. He says one thing to you and another thing behind closed doors,” wrote Stiles.
“We can't trust Ford to get the job done and we certainly can't trust him to defend Ontario. It’s time to show him the door.”