President Donald Trump said Friday that his administration is considering imposing tariffs on Canadian imports in response to wildfire smoke that has drifted into the United States, affecting air quality across parts of the Midwest and Northeast. Trump argued that the smoke has created health risks, disrupted outdoor activities and imposed economic costs on American communities, adding that Canada should bear greater responsibility for mitigating the cross-border impacts of increasingly severe wildfire seasons. The proposal represents an unusual attempt to link environmental conditions with U.S. trade policy and comes as hundreds of active wildfires continue to burn across several Canadian provinces.

Canadian officials rejected the suggestion that tariffs are an appropriate response, saying wildfire smoke is the result of large-scale natural disasters intensified by hot, dry weather conditions rather than a trade issue. Authorities in Canada have continued to deploy firefighters and military resources to battle blazes in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Ontario and other provinces, while working with U.S. agencies on wildfire monitoring and emergency response. Air quality alerts remain in effect across several U.S. states as shifting weather patterns continue to carry smoke south of the border, with public health officials advising vulnerable residents to limit prolonged outdoor activity.