Trump to Include Pollution Costs in Canadian Tariffs! Air Quality Alarm for World Cup Final

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday (18th) that he will hold Canada responsible for wildfire smoke spreading into the United States and degrading air quality, threatening to include the associated 'costs' in the tariffs Canada currently pays. At the same time, the worsening air quality has raised concerns about the World Cup final scheduled to take place this Sunday in New Jersey, USA.

According to NBC, Trump posted on his social media platform Truth Social: 'The losses are immeasurable! This is deliberate neglect, and it happens every year, causing billions of dollars in losses to the United States. These pollution costs must be added to the tariffs Canada currently pays.'

Analysts note that Trump has long used tariffs—ultimately borne by businesses and consumers—as political leverage in international disputes.

In the post, he added that he will call Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to 'understand how they plan to handle this matter.'

Trump wrote: 'We will hold Canada accountable because they have not properly managed their forests and brushlands, resulting in the United States being subjected to dirty, polluted, and unhealthy air. This air quality is dangerously hazardous and completely unacceptable!'

Carney responded on Thursday (16th) to criticism over Canada's handling of the disaster, turning the blame back on the U.S. for opposing climate policies.

He said: 'Everyone has their responsibilities. Right now, we are investing heavily in clean energy, but some U.S. production methods run counter to clean energy development. Canada continues to push forward globally, while the U.S. is reducing its global engagement.'

Since returning to the White House, Trump has suspended U.S. support for dozens of international climate initiatives and research groups. In March, a group of universities filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration for attempting to dismantle the largest federal climate research center in the U.S.

As of Friday, over 100 million Americans are under air quality alerts, with smoke from wildfires in Minnesota and Canada blanketing major cities including Minneapolis, Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and New York City.

Additionally, Trump plans to personally attend the World Cup final in New Jersey this Sunday, but local air quality is expected to continue deteriorating through the weekend. Over 80,000 people are expected to attend the open-air stadium, with another 50,000 anticipated to watch the live broadcast in Manhattan’s Central Park.

The New York State government issued an alert on the 15th, stating that smoke and high temperatures have worsened air quality in New York State, urging the public to take preventive measures, avoid prolonged outdoor exposure, and especially caution those with health conditions.

The Canadian government reported on the 15th that 835 wildfires were burning across the country, with 112 of them classified as 'out of control.'

The U.S. National Weather Service predicts that wildfire smoke may persist through the weekend. Researchers at Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory said on the 15th that for New York City, the worst may not have arrived yet.

According to Bloomberg, sources indicate that despite the smoke from Canadian wildfires worsening air quality in the New York area, FIFA has no plans to move the final to another location.

Trump has repeatedly praised the success of this World Cup tournament and even said at a FIFA reception on Friday that the U.S. should host the World Cup again in the future.

He also joked that when the U.S. hosts the World Cup next time, 'we should exclude Mexico and Canada.'

Trump’s threat to raise tariffs on Canada came just after the White House announced on July 1 its plan to withdraw from the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). The agreement has been seen as a key pillar maintaining stable North American trade and economic relations over the past six years.