OTTAWA—U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to impose additional tariffs on Canadian goods after smoke from widespread Canadian wildfires drifted into parts of the United States, escalating tensions between the neighboring countries as hazardous air quality affected millions of Americans.
In a post on Truth Social on Friday, Trump accused Canada of failing to manage its forests and said the United States was being "invaded by filthy, polluted, and unhealthy air." He said the cost of dealing with the smoke would be added to tariffs already imposed on Canadian imports. Trump also said he planned to speak with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney about the situation.
Trump did not provide evidence to support his assertion that the pollution had cost the United States billions of dollars, nor did he specify how any additional tariffs would be calculated. The White House had not immediately released further details on any formal trade measures as of Saturday.
The remarks came as smoke from hundreds of active wildfires in Canada spread across large areas of the U.S. Midwest and Northeast, prompting air quality alerts in numerous states and major cities. Public health officials advised residents in affected areas to limit outdoor activity as smoke pushed air pollution to unhealthy levels.
The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre has reported hundreds of active wildfires across the country, with many classified as out of control. Provincial authorities have ordered evacuations in several communities as firefighters continue to battle the blazes with support from personnel and equipment deployed from other jurisdictions.
Canadian officials had not issued a detailed public response to Trump's tariff threat by Saturday. Previous statements from Canadian authorities have emphasized that wildfire seasons have become more severe in recent years and that governments are investing in emergency response, forest management and international firefighting cooperation.
The latest dispute adds to ongoing trade friction between Washington and Ottawa, which have already faced disagreements over tariffs and other economic issues during Trump's presidency. While cross-border wildfire smoke has periodically affected air quality in the United States during recent fire seasons, the proposed use of tariffs in response represents a new point of contention between the two allies.
