Before tariffs, Ford says he was ‘100% happy’ Trump won U.S. election in hot mic comments | Globalnews.ca

Doug Ford’s personal views about U.S. President Donald Trump bubbled to the surface of Ontario’s snap election campaign after candid comments by the Progressive Conservative party leader were picked up at a campaign stop.

Speaking to a small group of people at his local campaign headquarters, Ford appeared to explain his initial admiration for Trump in a moment caught on hot mic.

“On election day, was I happy this guy won? One hundred per cent I was,” Ford can be heard saying in the clip. “Then the guy pulled out the knife and f****** yanked it into us.”

On Monday when Ford made the comments, Trump was planning to level 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian exports to the United States. By dinner time the same day, that threat had been pushed off until at least early March.

Ford’s team did not respond to questions from Global News in time for publication.

Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles said Tuesday that, when he made the comments, Ford “showed you who he is.”

“He says one thing when he’s out front to the microphones in front of all of you and he says another one behind closed doors,” Stiles said.

“He has not been upfront with Ontarians, that is the culture of Doug Ford… the one thing I would say is, it is a little sad that while Doug Ford clearly is a big fan of Donald Trump, Donald Trump doesn’t seem to be aware of who Doug Ford is.”

By early Tuesday morning, the Ontario Liberals had already put together an attack ad featuring the clip of Ford discussing Trump.

Ontario Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie said it was “outrageous” Ford could ever have wanted Trump to win with his pre-election tariff threats.

“I think that statement caught on a hot mic when he didn’t know other people could be listening shows his true character,” she said. “Somehow there was a benefit in it for him if Donald Trump would succeed — even if it meant it would hurt Ontario and our economy through punitive tariffs.”

Ford himself also responded to the clip on Tuesday.

“He makes me swear once in a while — I think he makes a lot of people swear in this country,” he said, referring to Trump.

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“I thought it would be a little different, a little change but obviously he decided to pull the knife out and stab us.”

Ford had been supportive of Trump in past public comments before he was elected Ontario premier, but maintained during the 2024 presidential election he would be happy with whichever candidate won.

During a news conference Monday, Ford also expressed his disappointment with Trump’s tariff approach.

“I’m sure there’s millions of Canadians that thought, ‘Oh okay, this might be a good change down in the U.S.,’” he said.

“It’s been a disaster, I’d never support that guy in my entire life. He goes up and just stabs you right in the heart.”

He added, “(I’d) never support that guy again — ever.”

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