President Donald Trump on Friday threatened to impose additional tariffs on Canada, blaming the country for wildfire smoke that has blanketed large swaths of the United States.
“We are holding Canada responsible for the fact that they are not properly maintaining their Forests, and Brush therein, and the United States is being unnecessarily invaded by filthy, polluted, and unhealthy air, the quality of which is dangerous, and totally unacceptable,” the Republican president wrote on Truth Social Friday afternoon.
Trump added that he planned to call Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to discuss how his government intends to respond.
“Canada has refused to engage in basic Forest Management and Debris Removal,” Trump continued. “This is Willful Negligence, and becoming a yearly occurrence, costing the United States Billions of Dollars, which cost of this pollution must of necessity be added to the TARIFFS Canada is currently paying.”
On Friday, the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre reported 904 active fires across Ontario, Quebec and other provinces — more than 200 of which are classified as “out of control.” Fires are also burning across northeastern Minnesota.
The resulting smoke has pushed air quality to hazardous levels across parts of the United States. More than a dozen states are under air quality alerts, and officials in cities including New York and Chicago have urged residents to remain indoors when possible. NBC News’ Monica Alba also reported Friday that FIFA and the White House are in “active discussions” over air quality concerns ahead of Sunday’s World Cup final in New Jersey.
Carney, who leads Canada’s Liberal Party, did not immediately respond to Trump’s post.
Other Republicans have also targeted Canada over the smoke. Speaking to Fox News on Friday, Ohio Senator Bernie Moreno floated a range of retaliatory measures, including sanctions and restrictions on assets and visas.
Earlier in the week, four Michigan House members sent a letter to Carney criticizing Canada’s wildfire response.
“Our constituents in Michigan are once again under air quality alerts,” the lawmakers wrote. “Our hospitals are once again treating children, dialysis patients, and older residents for the effects of smoke that did not originate anywhere near them. This is the third consecutive year we have had to write to Canadian officials about a crisis that Canada has the tools to prevent and has chosen not to.”
Asked about the letter at a Thursday press conference, Carney pointed to climate policy differences between the two countries.
“We’re focusing on investing in clean energy,” Carney said, according to a CTV News translation. “In the U.S., there’s prohibitions now against clean energy.”
“Climate change is the responsibility of everyone, truly everyone, including the United States,” he added.
Earlier this week, Minister of Emergency Management Eleanor Olszewski said Canada is “working with urgency” to “support response efforts” to the wildfires.
“Canada and the United States have a long history of working together to fight wildfires on both sides of the border — it is a history that both countries benefit from and that we are building on during this challenging wildfire season,” Olszewski said in a statement posted to social media.
Trump’s threat comes against a broader backdrop of heightened tensions. Canada is already subject to multiple U.S. tariffs imposed by the Trump administration, including sector-specific levies on steel and autos. Since returning to office, Trump has also repeatedly mused about annexing Canada and turning it into the “51st state.”
Carney has rejected those overtures, telling Trump last year that Canada is “not for sale.” At other times, he’s shrugged off Trump’s hostile remarks. In June, he said: “We're not gonna respond or react to everything that he posts.”
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