Donald Trump has threatened to impose new tariffs on Canada after hundreds of wildfires sent a blanket of smoke across much of the northern United States, obscuring landmarks from New York City to Washington, D.C. The US president said in a post on Truth Social that he would call Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to demand an explanation for Canada's "willful negligence" in not "properly maintaining" their forests and brush.
"The United States is being unnecessarily invaded by filthy, polluted, and unhealthy air," Trump wrote. He later told reporters he had spoken with Carney: "I told him, 'You've got to stop these fires from coming in and poisoning our air.' Our air's being poisoned." Trump added: "If we can help them, we'll help them – but maybe they should pay us some damages or something, or [we] should do some tariffs."
“Trump threatens tariffs on Canada over wildfire smoke 'poisoning' US air, citing 'willful negligence'.”
As of Saturday, about 955 fires were actively burning in Canada, according to the Canadian Wildland Fire Information System, with the majority out of control. More than 190 of those blazes are in Ontario, some out of control. Northwestern Ontario has been hit by at least 128 separate fires, forcing residents to leave their homes. Communities including Armstrong, Lac La Croix First Nation, Collins First Nation, Whitesand First Nation and Lac des Mille Lacs First Nation are under evacuation orders. A crew of engineers was trapped inside a blaze near Armstrong, with footage showing a wall of orange flames surrounding their locomotive.
Carney earlier noted that both countries share responsibility for fighting climate change, which scientists say is driving the kind of wildfires burning faster and stronger than ever before. After Trump's remarks, Canada's emergency management cabinet minister said the two countries remain in constant contact, citing a reciprocal fire-fighting agreement from 1982 and another assistance agreement that emerged from the 2025 G7 summit. MP Eleanor Olszewski said Canada has invested about C$12bn ($8.5bn; £6.4bn) in forest sustainability and fire prevention. "This is a challenge that knows no borders, and Canada is working with speed, collaboration and coordination to keep people safe," she added.
Fellow Republicans have used the issue to renew Trump's call to make Canada the 51st US state, a musing that has offended Canadians and prompted many to stop travelling to their southern neighbour in protest. Others online suggested delaying the opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge, a Canada-funded project connecting Ontario to Michigan. Relations between the US and Canada have been tense over the past year, mostly due to trade. Last year, Trump imposed tariffs on Canada, and the two countries have still not reached a trade deal. Nearly 3 million hectares of Canadian land has already been destroyed by wildfires this season.
