Trump threatens higher tariffs on Canada for wildfire smoke

President Donald Trump threatened on Friday, July 17, 2026, to impose steeper tariffs on Canada, blaming the country for wildfire smoke that has blanketed large portions of the United States with dangerous air pollution. In a series of posts on his Truth Social platform, Trump accused the Canadian government of "willful negligence" in forest management and vowed to hold it accountable for the cross-border smoke.

The president stated he would call Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to discuss the issue. He wrote that the recurring problem is costing the United States billions of dollars and declared that "the cost of this pollution must of necessity be added to the TARIFFS Canada is currently paying." His remarks came as dense smoke from hundreds of wildfires, particularly in Ontario, drifted south, triggering widespread air quality alerts.

More than 100 million people across 18 states and the District of Columbia were under air quality advisories on Friday. Major cities including Chicago, Detroit, New York, and Washington, D.C., experienced hazy, orange skies and some of the worst air quality levels in the world. Local officials urged residents to limit outdoor activities, with...