'Give the guy a break': Ontario Premier Doug Ford defends Gretzky amid backlash over his support for Trump

The Canadian Press

· Posted: Mar 04, 2025 6:38 PM EST | Last Updated: March 4

Ontario Premier Doug Ford says Canadians should springiness Wayne Gretzky a break.

The hockey fable has travel nether occurrence for supporting U.S. President Donald Trump by attending his inauguration successful January and visiting him respective times successful caller months astatine Mar-a-Lago successful Florida.

Gretzky besides attended an predetermination triumph enactment for Trump past November and was seen sporting a Make America Great Again hat.

While outlining Ontario's effect to Trump's hefty tariffs connected Canadian goods, Ford took a infinitesimal to support Gretzky arsenic a patriot who loves his homeland.

Ford says helium precocious spoke to Gretzky, who was "all choked up."

Janet Gretzky has besides defended her husband, saying the "mean" comments implicit his enactment for Trump person breached his heart.

WATCH l Gretzky's patriotism questioned after 4 Nations final:

Trump imposed 25 per cent tariffs connected Canadian goods Tuesday and a 10 per cent levy connected energy, sparking a commercialized warfare arsenic Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responded with Canada's retaliatory tariffs.

Trump's tariff threats person acceptable disconnected a question of patriotism crossed Canada that includes fans booing the U.S. nationalist anthem astatine sporting events specified arsenic hockey games.

The contention followed Gretzky successful his relation arsenic Team Canada's honorary skipper astatine the Four Nations Face-Off successful February.

"He is simply a patriot, helium loves Canada," Ford said Tuesday astatine a quality league wherever helium announced a bid of retaliatory measures against the U.S.

"He ne'er gave up his Canadian passport. So folks, springiness the feline a break, conscionable springiness him a break. He loves Canada. He loves it similar nary tomorrow."

Orr joins defence of Gretzky

Bobby Orr, different hockey large and Trump supporter, besides defended Gretzky recently.

"Listen, we each person our idiosyncratic beliefs arsenic they pertain to things specified arsenic religion and politics," Orr wrote successful a portion successful the Toronto Sun.

"Wayne respects your close to specified beliefs — wherefore can't you respect his?"

And Trump himself tried to assuage Canadians' choler toward Gretzky, who has not publically commented connected the controversy.

"Wayne and Janet, his fantastic wife, emotion Canada, and they should lone enactment Canada, and immoderate other makes the Canadian People, and Governor Justin Trudeau, happy," Trump wrote connected societal media past week.

"He's the Greatest Canadian of them all, and I americium truthful making him a `free agent,' due to the fact that I don't privation anyone successful Canada to accidental thing atrocious astir him. He supports Canada the mode it is, arsenic helium should, adjacent though it's not astir arsenic bully arsenic it could beryllium arsenic portion of the Greatest and Most Powerful Country successful the World, the Good Ole' U.S.A.!"

WATCH l Why is Trump doing harm power for Gretzky?: