Trump Threatens Tariffs on Canada as Wildfire Smoke Chokes US Cities

US President Donald Trump has threatened to impose fresh tariffs on Canada, accusing the country of letting wildfires send “filthy, polluted” air across the border into American cities. The warning came as thick smoke from hundreds of fires in Canada blanketed parts of the northern United States, turning skies orange in New York and triggering hazardous air quality alerts from Michigan to Pennsylvania and beyond.

The smoke has already forced cancellations of outdoor events, pushed air quality in Detroit to the worst in the world at one point, and left residents in Chicago, Washington and New York dealing with hazy, unhealthy conditions. Trump posted on Truth Social that he plans to call Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to demand answers, blaming what he called Canada’s “willful negligence” in maintaining its forests and brush.

As of the weekend there were roughly 955 active fires burning across Canada, with more than 190 of them in Ontario alone and many still out of control. Nearly three million hectares of land have already been scorched this season. Hot, dry weather at the end of June combined with below-average rainfall helped the fires take hold quickly, and lightning sparked some of them. Scientists point out that climate change is making these seasons more intense by creating hotter, drier conditions that let fires spread faster, though they also note that weather systems do not respect borders and smoke from major US fires has drifted into Canada in past years.

The political temperature rose fast. A group of Republican US lawmakers sent an open letter to Canadian officials saying their patience had run out and warning that American lungs were paying the price for what they called years of inaction on forest management and fire prevention. Some even revived talk of making Canada the 51st US state, a suggestion that has not gone down well north of the border.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford fired back, calling the criticism from American politicians “a shame” and “unacceptable.” He reminded everyone that Canada has helped fight fires in California and responded to hurricanes in North Carolina without hesitation, and said that is what neighbors do. Ford noted that Michigan and Massachusetts had already offered water bombers and firefighters, and he said Ontario is throwing every available resource at the blazes — more than 150 fire crews, over 80 water bombers and helicopters, and well over a billion dollars spent on wildfire response since 2018. He added that ten communities have had to evacuate so far.

Prime Minister Carney, speaking in French at a news conference in Ontario, said climate change is everyone’s responsibility, including the United States, and stressed that the two countries remain in close contact. Canada has invested around C$12 billion in forest sustainability and fire prevention in recent years, and officials pointed to long-standing reciprocal firefighting agreements dating back to 1982 plus newer cooperation from the 2025 G7 summit.

In northern Ontario the human cost has been heavy. Fires tore through several First Nations communities with little warning. The Namaygoosisagagagun First Nation was hit especially hard — residents had to self-evacuate by boat as flames approached, and aerial views later showed the community “burnt to ashes.” Chief Helen Paavola and incident commander Matthew Hoppe described the devastation, though thankfully no lives were lost. Ford called it “a miracle.”

The smoke has also complicated plans for Sunday’s World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, where Trump is expected to attend. White House officials have been holding informal talks with FIFA about conditions, but forecasters say weekend rains should help clear the air before kickoff.