Trump said he used a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney during Sunday’s FIFA World Cup Final in New Jersey to press Canada over the wildfire smoke that has drifted into parts of the United States.
Speaking to reporters after the match, Trump said he told Carney that Canada “has to get the fires under control,” arguing that smoke from the blazes has affected air quality across several U.S. states. Trump described the smoke as “poisoning our air” and suggested Canada should do more to contain the wildfires.
“I have a good relationship with Mark Carney, but we’ve got to stop the fires up there,” Trump said. He added that the U.S. would be willing to help if needed, but also floated the idea that Canada should compensate the United States for the economic impact of the smoke or face additional tariffs.
“If we can help them, we’ll help them. But maybe they should pay us some damages or something, or we should do some tariffs But it was terrible. I mean, you had businesses closing.”
Canada is currently battling hundreds of active wildfires, particularly in Ontario, with thousands of firefighters deployed and millions of acres already burned this season. Canadian officials have emphasized that they are using extensive firefighting resources and advanced detection technology to combat the blazes, while experts point to unusually hot, dry conditions and climate change as major factors fueling the fires.
Trump wrote on Truth Social: “We are holding Canada responsible for the fact that they are not properly maintaining their Forests, and Brush therein, and the United States is being unnecessarily invaded by filthy, polluted, and unhealthy air, the quality of which is dangerous, and totally unacceptable.”
