Trump threatens Canada with higher tariffs over wildfire smoke pollution

US President Donald Trump has threatened to increase tariffs on Canada to cover the cost of smoke pollution from wildfires that have choked large parts of the United States.

Dense wildfire smoke billowing down from Canada and northern Minnesota has set off unhealthy air quality alerts across the US.

As of Saturday, there were 937 active fires in Canada, most of which were burning out of control, according to the Canadian Wildland Fire Information System.

“This is Willful Negligence, and becoming a yearly occurrence, costing the United States Billions of Dollars,” Trump said on Truth Social on Friday, adding that the “cost of this pollution must of necessity be added to the TARIFFS Canada is currently paying.”

Trump accused Canada of “not properly maintaining” their forests, failing to carry out “basic Forest Management and Debris Removal.”

He said he would call Prime Minister Mark Carney “to find out what they are going to do about” the smoke.

Close contact

Canada’s emergency management minister Eleanor Olszewski said Canada and the United States were in “constant contact,” pointing toward their “long history of working together to fight wildfires.”

She added that Canada has invested $12 billion in forests sustainability and fire prevention since 2020.

Detroit, in the US Midwest, remained the most polluted city in the world on Friday, according to tracker IQAir.

Washington and Chicago weren’t far behind, and officials warned against spending unnecessary time outside.