Trump sends Canada tariff warning as wildfire smoke chokes US cities ahead of FIFA final | Today’s news
President Donald Trump is using wildfire smoke from Canada to threaten tariffs. more than 100 million people in the Midwest, Northeast, and Mid-Atlantic breathed hazardous air from thick, choking plumes of smoke from wildfires in Canada.
There are nearly 1,000 active fires in Canada as of Saturday, according to its government. So far this summer, about 3,500 fires — including a dozen fires that have burned in Ontario in recent weeks — have burned more than 6 million acres across the country.
Trump blames Canada for wildfire smoke crisis
At the Truth Social on Friday, Trump accused Canada of not managing its forests properly and blamed the country squarely for the smoke that is now choking the U.S. beltway.
Read also | A wildfire has broken out and spread to 125 acres near Clayton, California: Details
“The United States is needlessly assaulted with dirty, polluted and unhealthy air quality that is dangerous and totally unacceptable!” he wrote, adding, “The cost is incalculable!”
According to the president, smoke has become a recurring annual burden costing the US billions of dollars, although the basis for this figure was not clarified. He argued that those costs should now be factored into the tariffs already imposed on Canadian goods.
Almost 1,000 forest fires are burning in Canada
Government of Canada figures show there are currently nearly 1,000 fires active across the country as of Saturday.
Officials say the vast majority of the roughly 800 active fires are classified as “out of control” and the resulting haze has drifted deep into the US, affecting cities including New York, Chicago and Minneapolis.
Air quality warnings are disrupted by nationwide sports and summer events
The smoke forced the cancellation or postponement of a number of major events and gatherings. A baseball game between the Cleveland Guardians and the Pittsburgh Pirates was canceled, as was the RowFest National Championships in Michigan.
More than a dozen states remained under air quality alerts as smoke disrupted summer plans. A children’s parade in Flint, Michigan, a rock concert in Herndon, Virginia and the America’s Mile Marathon in Pittsburgh were canceled on Friday.
Read also | Canada’s wildfires blanket the US: Which states are under air quality alerts?
The economic toll also extended to businesses during what is usually a lucrative season, with Pennsylvania’s Kennywood and Sandcastle Water Park forced to close their doors due to poor air quality.
Republicans in Congress are pushing for sanctions against Canada
The smoke has added new strain to the already strained relationship between Washington and Ottawa, with several Republican lawmakers now calling for punitive measures against Canada.
Sen. Bernie Moreno of Ohio said he intends to introduce legislation next week to sanction Canada and its officials after he shared a post highlighting pollution levels in Cleveland. Rep. Nick Langworthy of New York said he was contacting Canadian officials directly to push them to take action.
“Canada must take meaningful action to prevent these catastrophic fires and protect Canadians and Americans alike,” Langworthy wrote on X. “If it refuses, there should be consequences.”
A group of four Republican representatives from Michigan went even further, writing to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney this week asking for a response.
Read also | Canada’s wildfires blanket the US: Which states are under air quality alerts?
“We are done accepting excuses at the scene. If Canada does not manage its forests to prevent these fires, the United States will look elsewhere and act on its own to protect our people,” the letter said.
The diplomatic pressure adds to existing friction between the two allies over Trump’s tariff policy and his repeated proposal to make Canada the 51st US state.
Chicago is experiencing the worst air quality in its history
Some of the nation’s worst readings were recorded Friday morning in Milwaukee, Chicago and Detroit, while unhealthy pollution levels also reached southern Ohio and West Virginia.
“Chicago is currently experiencing the worst air quality in recorded history,” the mayor’s office said in a social media post Thursday night. “Please stay indoors, and if you must go out, use a well-fitting N95 or KN95 mask for your safety.”
Detroit’s health department has begun handing out free masks to residents while urging people to stay indoors. In Philadelphia, officials said in a news release Friday that “everyone is likely to experience health effects from exposure” to the smoke.
In Washington DC, health authorities distributed masks to government employees working outdoors, the department confirmed, while outdoor pools, spray parks and government outdoor activities were all closed.
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control forecast unhealthy air for sensitive groups Saturday, an improvement from Friday, when conditions were rated “very unhealthy” and then eased slightly to “unhealthy,” CNN affiliate WRDE reported. Even so, visitors, including the most vulnerable, showed up at Rehoboth Beach in Sussex County on Friday.
Will the smoke clear in time for the FIFA World Cup weekend?
Forecasters expect a brief but sharp rain storm to bring southerly winds that will push the smoke north and clear the air by Saturday evening. However, winds returning from the north could produce a new, albeit lighter, pulse of smoke by Sunday afternoon.
In New York, Saturday’s storms are expected to bring heavy downpours and the risk of brief flash flooding in low-lying urban areas, although conditions should calm down by Sunday morning. That sets up more favorable weather for Sunday afternoon’s World Cup match between Argentina and Spain, with temperatures expected to drop below 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
Skies are forecast to be mostly clear, although a slight haze from residual smoke may linger in the atmosphere. Air quality across the region is expected to gradually improve by the new week.
