U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday threatened to impose higher tariffs on Canada, arguing that they should cover the “cost of pollution” caused by wildfire smoke drifting into the northeastern United States.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump accused Canada of failing to properly manage its forests, saying the United States was being “unnecessarily flooded with dirty, polluted and unhealthy air,” describing the situation as “totally unacceptable.”
Trump said he planned to speak with the Canadian Prime Minister to discuss the issue and the measures Canada intends to take to address the recurring wildfire crisis.
He described the situation as “deliberate negligence” that has become an annual occurrence, costing the United States billions of dollars.
“The cost of this pollution must be added to the tariffs Canada is currently paying,” Trump stated.
Currently, only a limited share of Canadian exports not covered by the North American free trade agreement are subject to temporary 10% U.S. tariffs. Canada is also affected by sector-specific tariffs introduced by the Trump administration, particularly on steel and aluminum products.
Smoke from the ongoing Canadian wildfires has blanketed several major U.S. cities, including Chicago, New York and Washington, leading to poor air quality across the region. The FIFA World Cup final between Spain and Argentina is scheduled to take place on Sunday in the Washington metropolitan area amid concerns over air pollution.
According to the latest figures from Canadian authorities, the wildfire situation continues to worsen, with 897 active fires nationwide, including 207 that remain out of control.
