Trump blames Canada for wildfire smoke, threatens additional tariffs over pollution costs

US President Donald Trump has blamed Canada for the wildfire smoke drifting across parts of the United States and warned that his administration will add the "cost" of the pollution to existing tariffs on Canadian goods. In a social media post, Trump accused Canada of poor forest management and described the smoke affecting several American cities as "filthy, polluted and unhealthy." He said the additional costs would be factored into ongoing trade measures against Canada.

The remarks come as dense smoke from large wildfires in Canada continues to spread across the US Midwest and Northeast, prompting air quality alerts and health advisories in multiple states. Canadian officials have defended their wildfire response, highlighting investments in prevention, emergency management and cross-border firefighting cooperation. Experts have also pointed to climate change as a major factor behind the growing intensity and frequency of wildfires.

Trump's latest comments add to ongoing trade tensions between the two neighbouring countries, with both sides already engaged in tariff disputes. The proposed move is expected to further strain US-Canada relations as wildfire season continues.