Trump blames Canada for wildfire smoke, says pollution costs should be added to tariffs
President Donald Trump on Friday blamed Canada for smoke from ongoing wildfires that has drifted into the United States, accusing the country of “willful negligence” in forest management and suggesting the economic costs of the pollution should be added to tariffs on Canadian imports.
“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!” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.
Trump said he planned to call Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney later Friday to discuss the issue.
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“I will call the Prime Minister during the day to find out what they are going to do about it,” Trump wrote.
The president argued Canada had refused to engage in “basic Forest Management and Debris Removal,” despite knowing such practices could help reduce the risk of devastating wildfires.
“Canada has refused to engage in basic Forest Management and Debris Removal, knowing that such refusal will lead to exactly this result,” Trump wrote. “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.”
Trump did not say how such costs would be incorporated into existing tariffs or whether he intended to pursue formal trade action tied to the wildfire smoke.
The comments come as smoke from nearly 850 active wildfires across Canada — including more than 180 in Ontario — has drifted into the United States, prompting air quality alerts in more than 20 states from the Upper Midwest to the Northeast, according to NASA.
Health officials have warned that wildfire smoke can pose health risks, particularly for people with underlying heart or lung conditions, and have advised residents in affected areas to monitor local air quality and limit outdoor activity when conditions worsen.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Canadian Prime Minister’s Office and Natural Resources Canada for comment.
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