Trump threatens Canada tariffs over wildfire smoke choking U.S. cities
As wildfire haze triggered air alerts for more than 100 million people, Trump said Canada should pay through tariffs.
By Sal Moretti · Money Reporter
3 min read
President Donald Trump said Friday that Canada should be made to cover the costs of wildfire smoke drifting into the United States, threatening to fold the pollution bill into tariffs as dirty air spread across major U.S. cities.
In a Truth Social post, Trump called the financial damage from the smoke “incalculable” and accused Canada of “Willful Negligence.” He said the smoke problem had become a recurring issue that was costing the U.S. billions of dollars.
Trump wrote that the cost of the pollution “must of necessity be added to the TARIFFS Canada is currently paying.” NBC News noted that tariffs are paid by businesses and consumers, even when Trump has used them as pressure tools against foreign governments.
The president also said he planned to call Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to ask what Canada intended to do about the fires and smoke.
Trump blamed Canada for what he described as poor forest and brush maintenance, saying the U.S. was being hit by “filthy, polluted, and unhealthy air.” He called the air quality dangerous and unacceptable in the same post.
Carney had addressed criticism of Canada’s wildfire response on Thursday, telling reporters in French that each country has responsibilities. He pointed to Canada’s investment in clean energy and criticized production methods in the United States that he said work against clean energy.
Carney also said Canada is continuing its efforts globally while, in his words, the United States is reducing its footprint worldwide.
The exchange came as wildfire smoke from Canada and Minnesota continued to blanket parts of the country. NBC News reported that air quality alerts remained in place Friday for more than 100 million people.
The smoke affected major cities including Minneapolis, Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and New York City, according to NBC News. Images from Washington showed the sun dimmed by haze near the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, while smoke also shrouded the sunrise behind midtown Manhattan.
The conditions have raised worries ahead of Sunday’s World Cup final in New Jersey, which Trump plans to attend. NBC News reported that poor air quality levels were still present in the state heading into the weekend.
Trump has repeatedly praised the tournament. At a FIFA reception Friday, he suggested the United States should host the World Cup again and said that next time, the U.S. should “leave Mexico and Canada out,” according to NBC News.
The tariff threat also landed amid wider tension over North American trade. NBC News reported that the Trump administration announced on July 1 that it plans to withdraw from the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, the trade pact that has been viewed as a key stabilizing force across the continent for the past six years.
Trump’s climate record is also part of the backdrop. Since returning to office, he has suspended U.S. support for dozens of international climate initiatives and research groups, NBC News reported. In March, a group of universities sued his administration over efforts to dismantle the nation’s largest federal climate research center.
This story draws on original reporting from NBC News.