Donald Trump says Canada must "stop these fires from coming in" as smoke degrades US air

President Donald Trump recently suggested that Canada should compensate the United States for the degraded air quality caused by smoke from nearly 900 ongoing wildfires, proposing tariffs or damage payments. He recounted speaking with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at the FIFA World Cup final and urging officials to address the smoke, which he described as polluting American skies. Lawmakers from both parties largely dismissed the idea, with several noting that wildfires are driven by natural weather patterns and lightning strikes, beyond government control. Republican Senator Roger Marshall called for better forest management on both sides of the border, while Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth deemed the proposal ridiculous. However, Republican Senator Bernie Moreno is introducing legislation to hold Canada accountable for the smoke’s impact on U.S. air quality.