Trump Blames Canada for Wildfire Smoke, Threatens Tariff Hike
President Donald Trump of the United States attributed the wildfire smoke permeating the country to Canada, announcing plans to incorporate the "incalculable cost" of addressing the pollution into current tariffs on Canadian products. On Thursday and Friday, heavy smoke from numerous Canadian wildfires blanketed parts of the US, stretching from the Midwest to the Northeast, leading to advisories for residents to remain indoors. On Friday, Detroit was reported as the world's most polluted city by IQAir, with Washington and Chicago following closely behind, prompting officials to discourage unnecessary outdoor activities. In New York and nearby New Jersey, where the World Cup final is set for Sunday in an open stadium, air quality was deemed potentially unhealthy for sensitive individuals, an improvement from Thursday's smog that obscured the Manhattan skyline. The National Weather Service cautioned that smoke could intensify overnight into Saturday morning. Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House World Cup task force, stated that tournament organizers are "monitoring closely."
Key facts
- Trump blamed Canada for wildfire smoke and threatened to add cost to tariffs.
- Smoke from Canadian fires affected the US Midwest to Northeast on June 8-9, 2023.
- Detroit was the most polluted city in the world on June 9, 2023, per IQAir.
- Washington and Chicago also had poor air quality.
- New York and New Jersey air was unhealthy for sensitive groups.
- World Cup final in New Jersey on June 11, 2023, may be affected.
- National Weather Service warned smoke may thicken overnight.
- Andrew Giuliani, White House World Cup task force executive director, said organizers are monitoring closely.
Entities
Institutions
- IQAir
- National Weather Service
- White House World Cup task force
Locations
- United States
- Canada
- Detroit
- Washington
- Chicago
- New York
- New Jersey
- Manhattan
- Ontario
- Midwest
- Northeast
- Mid-Atlantic
- Toronto