Story perspectives

Trump Mulls Tariffs on Canada Amid Smoke Crisis

7/18/2026

Summary

Story summary

U.S. President Donald Trump said he may raise tariffs on Canada over wildfire smoke, without a specific proposal.
More than 800 Canadian wildfires remain active, prompting air-quality alerts in over a dozen U.S. states and health warnings for Chicago and Washington, D.C.
Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno, Rep. Nick Langworthy, Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Canadian Minister Eleanor Olszewski each announced actions—sanction proposals or calls for U.S. cooperation—related to the smoke.

History

Historical Context

In 1990 President George H. W. Bush imposed a 10 % tariff on Canadian softwood lumber, a move NAFTA (signed 1994) later sought to limit. Decades of disputes culminated in a $1.5 billion settlement and recurring WTO cases. Today, President Donald Trump and Ontario Premier Doug Ford are debating new U.S. tariffs on Canadian wildfire smoke, echoing the 1990 precedent.

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Story summary

U.S. President Donald Trump said he may raise tariffs on Canada over wildfire smoke, without a specific proposal.
More than 800 Canadian wildfires remain active, prompting air-quality alerts in over a dozen U.S. states and health warnings for Chicago and Washington, D.C.
Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno, Rep. Nick Langworthy, Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Canadian Minister Eleanor Olszewski each announced actions—sanction proposals or calls for U.S. cooperation—related to the smoke.

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