President Donald Trump has launched a personal attack on Ontario Premier Doug Ford, calling him "less intelligent" than his late brother Rob Ford. The attack was made on Truth Social on Monday amid tensions over tariffs with Canada. Rob Ford, a former Toronto mayor, was known for his right-wing populist style and charismatic personality, which drew comparisons to Trump. Canadian journalists have responded to the exchange by comparing Trump to a "cut-rate knock off" of Rob Ford.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-25,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Why this leaning score
The article's own words the score was based on. Each is quoted
verbatim and was checked against the article text before being
stored, so you can find it in the original.
Leaning score +0.85 for article 2314 (high confidence, 1 verified quote) · logged 2026-08-27
President Donald Trump has escalated his war of words with Ontario Premier Doug Ford by comparing him unfavorably to his late brother and fellow politician Rob Ford.
asserted
Trump → escalate → brother
Taking to Truth Social Monday amid the latest twist in his on-again tariff war with Canada, the president wrote: “Lots of ‘bluster’ from Doug Ford, who is the Premier of the Canadian Province of Ontario, but who is better known as the less charismatic, intelligent, and overall unimpressive brother of the late, great, Rob Ford.”
The late Rob Ford was an outspoken Toronto city councillor and then its mayor from 2010 to 2014, known for a forthright right-wing populist style that saw him routinely rail at the establishment “gravy train,” an attack echoed in Trump’s own rhetoric calling out the Washington “swamp.”
Ford was also celebrated for calling his constituents personally to discuss their problems but later became notorious – and the butt of jokes on late-night TV internationally – for his erratic behavior, which turned out to stem from drink and drugs issues.
asserted
which → take → issues
His problems came to a head when cellphone footage emerged of him smoking crack cocaine in 2013 but he refused to resign, preferring to fight his corner and only losing power when Toronto’s city council voted to transfer his powers to his deputy mayor Norm Kelly.
asserted
council → come → mayor
He subsequently took a sabbatical to seek treatment for his addictions, only to be diagnosed with an abdominal tumour in September 2014 from which he ultimately passed away in March 2016, aged just 46.
asserted
he → take → March
Trump had met Ford in 2012 while in Toronto to discuss a proposed Trump Tower branding deal that never came to pass and was clearly impressed with his bulldozing style.
asserted
that → meet → style
“Who would you rather have negotiating with Iran – President Obama or Toronto Mayor Ford?” Trump asked on Twitter in March 2013.
asserted
Trump → have → March
Doug Ford once said of his brother that his popularity was such he “could commit murder on the steps of City Hall and they would still vote for him,” another line borrowed by Trump, who boasted in January 2016: “I could stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn’t lose voters.”
uncertain
I → say → voters
Responding to the president’s latest personal attack on the Ontario premier – who has advocated for a tough pushback against Trump’s trade aggressions – CNN fact-checker Daniel Dale marveled: “Quite a large number of remarkable things needed to happen for there to be a President Donald Trump social media post insulting Ontario Premier Doug Ford by invoking the late Toronto Mayor Rob Ford.”
asserted
number → respond → Ford
Canadian journalist Jen Gerson labeled Trump “a cut-rate knock off version of Rob Ford, and he knows it.
asserted
he → label → it
Rob walked so Trump could fly.”
uncertain
Trump → walk → ?
Another journalist, Jeremy Berke, made the same comparison, saying Ford, like Trump, was: “Unapologetic to the press, brash, kind of an idiot, doesn’t know anything about policy, but so charismatic that they win hearts, minds, and elections.”
asserted
they → make → hearts
Doug Ford himself refused to be goaded by the president invoking his late brother but did respond robustly at a press conference in Hamilton.
“I don’t respond to a dictator like President Trump, a bully like President Trump,” he said.
asserted
he → refuse → Trump
“I’m not gonna take any advice off a guy that’s the king of bankruptcies.”
asserted
that → go → bankruptcies
Addressing the president directly, Ford said: “Your own people, President Trump, don’t even like you.
asserted
people → address → you
And they’re gonna speak loud and clear in the midterms.
asserted
they → go → midterms
If I was allowed to, I’d be down there door-knocking.”
asserted
I → allow → ?
He continued: “I can go back and forth with Trump.
asserted
I → continue → Trump
You know, I’m not going to, I’m just not going to take the bait.
asserted
I → know → bait
This guy’s a loser.
asserted
guy → ’ → ?
He’s going to be a loser.
asserted
He → go → ?
And you know something?
asserted
you → know → something
I have more courage, more brains in my baby toe than he has in his whole body.”
asserted
he → have → body
Ford had already told the president he could “kiss my a**” in a radio interview and reiterated the offer, saying: “I have a lot of real estate on my a**, so he has a lot of room to kiss my a**.
uncertain
he → tell → *
I’m a big dude, what can I say?”
asserted
I → ’m → what
