Trump Threatens Canada With Tariffs Over Wildfire Smoke

Can the president of the United States put a tariff on wildfire smoke? He seems to think so. Here is a closer look at how wildfires burning in Canada are causing an uproar in the U.S. executive branch.

New Feud Between Trump and Canada Over Wildfire Smoke

President Donald Trump is threatening to slap Canada with a round of tariffs due to wildfire smoke drifting over the border and into the U.S. Canada is grappling with an exceptionally difficult wildfire season. Over 900 wildfires are currently burning across the country, including 120 that crews have not been able to contain.

The current wind patterns are sending much of the smoke and haze generated by these fires over the border and into the northern U.S. A wide swath of land from the Upper Midwest through the Great Lakes and into the Northeast has been put in a chokehold by the smoke that has sent air quality readings skyrocketing to dangerous levels.

President Trump is now taking to social media to threaten Canada over the hazardous air that is filtering into the U.S. In a post on Truth Social on July 17, Trump wrote that "The United States is being unnecessarily invaded by filthy, polluted, and unhealthy air, the quality of which is dangerous, and totally unacceptable!"

Trump said that he is going to call Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to discuss the issue. The president said that Canada needs to do something about the smoke issue, blaming the fires on a lack of forest management over the border. "This is Willful Negligence, and becoming a yearly occurrence, costing the United States Billions of Dollars, which cost of this pollution must of necessity be added to the TARIFFS Canada is currently paying," noted Trump.

According to the Canadian government, more than a dozen of the fires are burning right near the border with the U.S. Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, and Washington are the closest U.S. states to the Canadian wildfires. The province of Ontario is bearing the brunt of the Canadian wildfire activity as fire crews race to save threatened structures.

As is typically the case with wildfire activity, the slightest shift in the wind patterns can send the smoke billowing to locations thousands of miles away. Last week was especially difficult for several of America's largest cities, with record-breaking poor air quality conditions the norm.

When asked by reporters about the fires last week, Carney said that "climate change is the responsibility of everyone, including the United States." The top political leader in Canada made that statement when asked about a letter from four Republican lawmakers from Michigan about the smoke issue.

In the letter, the lawmakers wrote, "Our hospitals are once again treating children, dialysis patients, and older residents for the effects of smoke that did not originate anywhere near them. This is the third consecutive year we have had to write to Canadian officials about a crisis that Canada has the tools to prevent and has chosen not to." The letter went on to say that their jurisdictions are "done accepting apologies in place of action," demanding that Canada take more proactive steps to manage their forests in order to prevent the fires.

What Can the U.S. Government Legally Do?

The big question on many people's minds is what power the U.S. actually has to punish Canada for the wildfires. According to the GOP lawmakers who penned the letter to Carney, they will reconsider "how much benefit of the doubt this relationship continues to earn on an issue where American lungs are paying the price for Canadian inaction, year after year."

Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno from the state of Ohio signaled that he plans to introduce a new bill in the House on Monday, declaring an emergency and sanctioning the Canadian government. The bill could also revoke visas.

Canadian leaders are pointing to the fact that they have routinely helped their neighbors to the south on the ground fighting fires. Doug Ford, the premier of Ontario, spoke to the media on July 17, saying that he believes that the Americans "are good neighbors." Ford said that American politicians should send support rather than complain because "that's what you're supposed to do."  

In a recent update on the Canadian government's website, officials confirmed that "Diplomatic engagement is being coordinated at the time of writing to discuss the wildfire situation and impact of wildfire smoke on U.S. states."

The latest strife between Trump and Canada is adding to the already tenuous situation between the once-friendly allies. Earlier in his second term, Trump imposed some of his highest tariffs on what has historically been a great neighbor. While the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that some of Trump's tariffs are unlawful, the White House is using other statutes to get around the ruling in some cases.

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