Trump threatens tariffs on Canada over wildfire smoke
President Trump said he may add tariffs on Canada because of smoke from wildfires affecting U.S. air quality, while officials warned the haze will persist across the Midwest and Northeast.
Air quality across the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Midwest remained poor on Saturday as smoke from hundreds of wildfires in Minnesota and Canada spread eastward. The National Weather Service said heavy rain could improve conditions in the northeast and mid-Atlantic later in the weekend, but hazardous pollution levels were expected to linger over the Midwest.
Forecaster Brian Hurley told NPR that a new plume of smoke would move from upper Michigan and eastern Wisconsin into Illinois and Indiana, including Chicago, through Sunday. He noted that particulate concentrations in the Washington, D.C., area had dropped to about one-third or one-fourth of earlier levels and should largely clear by Sunday.
Major League Baseball postponed Friday’s game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Cleveland Guardians because of poor air quality in Cleveland. The World Cup final scheduled for Sunday at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey is expected to face clearer air.
President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that he might impose additional tariffs on Canada, accusing the neighboring country of “willful negligence” for allowing “filthy, polluted, and unhealthy air” to reach the United States. He said he would call Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and add the cost of the pollution to existing tariffs.
Canadian officials responded that both nations share responsibility for addressing climate change, which has heightened wildfire risk. Health experts warned that the smoke poses significant risks, especially to children, pregnant women, older adults and those with pre-existing conditions. Johns Hopkins professor Peter DeCarlo recommended using air purifiers and N-95 masks to reduce exposure.
The National Weather Service issued air-quality alerts across New England, with most areas expected to see improvement after midnight. In Minnesota, more than 600 firefighters continued battling wildfires that have burned over 70,000 acres and threatened residential and resort communities. Thunderstorms, flooding and a possible tornado risk were forecast for parts of the mid-Atlantic and Pennsylvania over the weekend.