U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra says President Donald Trump‘s threat to impose new tariffs over smoke from Canadian wildfires should be taken seriously, arguing the ongoing haze is causing economic damage in the United States.
Smoke from Canadian wildfires has blanketed several major American cities, including Detroit, Washington and Chicago, prompting Trump to lash out at Canada on social media Friday.
“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,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
He said the wildfire smoke amounts to “Willful Negligence” and is “becoming a yearly occurrence, costing the United States Billions of Dollars.” He added that the cost of the pollution “is incalculable” and should be “added to the tariffs Canada currently pays.”
About 30 minutes after Trump’s post, Hoekstra sat down with Global News for an exclusive interview, where he defended the president’s position.
“The president is saying, yeah, I’m holding Canada accountable. We need to fix this,” Hoekstra said.
Hoekstra would not say how large any potential tariffs could be or what legal mechanism the administration might use to impose them. But he said Canada could face consequences if the issue is not addressed.
“There are potential consequences if we don’t get to a resolution,” he said.
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The ambassador pointed to economic and environmental impacts in the United States from the smoke. “Businesses are closing, because they don’t feel it’s safe for their workers to go into work. You know, bees are not pollinating,” Hoekstra said. “It is (also) affecting the tourism industry.”
The frustration is not limited to the White House. Republican House members Jack Bergman, John James, Lisa McClain and John Moolenaar sent a letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney this week calling for what they described as immediate action by the Canadian government.
“American lungs are paying the price for Canadian inaction, year after year,” the lawmakers wrote. “Sovereignty comes with responsibility, and the responsibility to prevent a foreseeable disaster from crossing into another country’s airspace has not been met.”
Trump has previously threatened additional tariffs against Canada when frustrated with Canadian policies, including a proposed 10 per cent levy linked to the Ontario government’s anti-tariff advertising. Those threats were never implemented.
Asked whether the latest warning should be viewed differently, Hoekstra said, “Not taking the president of the United States serious — do that at your own risk.”
The U.S. Ambassador to Canada added if smoke from the wildfires continue to blanket New Jersey ahead of the World Cup final on Sunday, President Trump will not hesitate to ask the game be postponed.
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“If the pollution is so bad that it’s dangerous to the players or it’s dangerous to the fans, the first person to say don’t hold the game will be the President of the United States,” Hoekstra said.
He also said the frustration is growing in the U.S. over recurring smoke from the wildfires north of the border. He said one proposal under discussion is having Canadian officials testify before Congress and state legislatures to help lawmakers better understand the unique challenges of fighting large fires in remote areas of Canada.
Hoekstra said the idea has been raised with the Prime Minister’s Office and Canada’s ambassador to the United States, Mark Wiseman. However, a senior government source told Global News Canadian officials have no plans to testify at public hearings in the United States.
The criticism from Trump and his ambassador comes despite the administration’s own moves to scale back U.S. climate action, even as scientists continue to link climate warming to more frequent and intense wildfire conditions.
In February, the Trump administration revoked scientific findings that have long been the central basis for U.S. action to regulate greenhouse gas emissions and fight climate change, the most aggressive move by the president to roll back climate regulations.
Trump also withdrew the U.S. from the Paris climate deal in 2025, removing the world’s biggest historic emitter from global efforts to fight climate change for the second time in a decade.
A 2023 study found that human-caused climate warming more than doubled the likelihood of extreme fire weather conditions in eastern Canada.
–with files from Adriana Fallico, Katherine Cheng, Sergio Vargas, Ariel Rabinovitch, The Associated Press and Reuters
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Ford government requests assistance from feds as wildfires rage in northern Ontario -
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Wildfire smoke blankets Toronto as Ontario air quality deteriorates -
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Wildfire smoke creates eerie orange sky over Thunder Bay -
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Health alerts issused as wildfire smoke continues to blanket Peterborough region -
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US Ambassador Pete Hoekstra on Trump’s latest threats over wildfire smoke -
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Ontario wildfires: Premier Ford calls it ‘miracle’ no one died in fast-moving inferno -
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Ford government defends forest fire spending as smoke covers Ontario -
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Michigan congressman criticizes Canada over cross-border wildfire smoke
I am from Europe, I am visiting Canada and the USA over the summer. My perspective is that Canada seems to be rather aloof towards dealing with these fires. Canada appears lame. USA would be right to be frustrated but also should offer assistance as a civil gesture.
Canada has about 350 million hectares of forests, the USA has about 300 million hectares of forests. The USA spends over $3 billion on fire suppression. Canada only $500 million yet we have more forests.
1. Expel the clown
2. Stop mentioning the pedofile Fuhrer by name
If tariffs are the reaction of choice to neighbouring tragedy not a helping hand then tariffs on United States goods should ( but would not )naturally be the reaction of choice by Canada when Yellowstone blows nasty air over us. Sadly it won’t matter because the United States won’t have anything left to trade. No foresight here. Without a doubt and history proves it. What goes around comes around.
Liberals think we can stop wildfires if Canada stops CO2 emissions. Well Canada produces 1.6% of the world emissions so if everyone moved out of Canada so Canada produced zero emissions, forest fire in Canada would drop 1.6%
This is a direct invitation to the powers that be for Yellowstone to blow. Throw rocks from your glass house at risk!!! I say this with love.
Canada’s excuse is they have a lot of forests. Well maybe instead of spending billions of dollars on foreign aid like Gender Studies in Uganda, maybe buy more water bombers. Canada isn’t making a serious attempt to stop the fires.
TELL S H I T HEAD TRUMP TO
B L O W IT OUT OF HIS A S S !!!
SCOTUS already ruled on how and when Trump can impose tariffs, and “too much smoke” isn’t one of those reasons.
Immediately recall all Canadian personnel and equipment that are currently deployed on fire-fighting duty in the U.S.
Pretty much the U.S.Government act like a bunch of nipping dogs at your ankles, constantly with Canadians.
Except Kamala Harris and Barrack Obama, and a few more.
Can’t figure out why…Canadian Politicians start shaking in their boots…when Trump barks.
Think about it folks…
He nips away…until he gets whatever he wants…or whatever he can get.
PRETTY MUCH MOST CANADIANS
HAVE HAD ENOUGH THIS TRUMP DANCE…
MEDIA NEWS IS VERY BORING WITH THE CONSTANT, REPETIOUS, INK ABOUT HIS NEXT PLAN OF ATTACK, THREATS AND INSULTS.
CONSTANTLY SPINNING..OUT OF CONTROL…
WITH THE NEXT RANT…
ON WHOMEVER, WHATEVER AND WHAT COUNTRY IN THE WORLD.
HITS EVERYONE AND EVERYTHING IN THE WORLD IN THEIR WALLET, OR WORSE,
YOUNG, ELDERLY, PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED, FOREIGNERS, MEN, WOMEN, CHILDREN HAVE ALL BEEN VICTIMS.
HOPEFULLY SOON SOMEONE IN CANADIAN POLITICS WILL DO WHAT’S RIGHT FOR CANADA AND IT’S PEOPLE…
HAS TO BE SOMEONE WITH BACKBONE IN THIS COUNTRY.
Soooo ridiculous…
Maybe Canada Should tariff the US for the tornados they are letting across the border . Comin guys keep them on your side .. we never had so many since Trumps be president. … eh
Ya.. as a true blue Texan i can honestly say canada has nothing to worrie about. Our leader hasn’t held anyone or anything accountable.
So far he has failed to make anything great again aside of inflation.. I cannot wait to vote the lier out. Wish I never voted for him 😪
This is what happens when you try to burn your neighboUrs house down.
This is the offer of help from our USA friends that one might expect?
Shame on you USA
Canada will always make excuses for not acting.
The US is always whining. They have had forest fires as well. We have 369 million hectares of forests, which is larger than the country of India. It’s hardly possible to have controlled burns, or to have water bombers, for such a large area. Maybe the US should focus on losing the war in Iran.
I’m locked and loaded, if one molecule of smoke comes south, turdronto is nuked
The biggest fire in the world is in NW Ontario. Ford, Carney stop blaming Trump and do something about it.
So are we pulling our fire fighters from helping across the boarder?
Really, you can’t blame Canada for the smoke as there are more forest fires in the US than Canada
Canada should retaliate by holding the US responsible for the guns that are smuggled from the US to Canada.
Why was’nt climate change mentioned at all. The US is a major contributor of green gas emission. Will the proposed tariff be lowered or reversed when the wind blows from south to north? A good interviewer would have brought these questions to the ambassador. My rating: very poor interview (you”r fired)
Expel this clown already!