Ontario Premier Doug Ford says criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans about Canada’s wildfire response is “absolutely unacceptable.” Speaking to reporters in Thunder Bay, Ontario, on Saturday, Ford framed the remarks as rhetoric that does not help amid ongoing firefighting efforts and said the focus should remain on addressing the fires. Ford’s comments come as multiple outlets report that U.S. political figures have criticized Canada’s actions to stop wildfires. While Ford does not detail a specific policy dispute in the available excerpts, he characterizes the criticism as unacceptable in the context of efforts underway to contain fast-moving and widespread wildfires. The remarks are presented as a defense of Canada’s approach and an attempt to shift attention back to cooperation and on-the-ground response. The reports describe Ford’s reaction as direct and firm, signaling that the Ontario premier views the U.S. criticism as inappropriate at a time when both countries face public safety and environmental impacts from wildfire activity.