Smoke from Canadian wildfires has drifted across the border, severely degrading air quality in the northeastern United States this weekend.
The haze obscured major landmarks from New York City to Washington, D.C., prompting a sharp response from U.S. leadership.
The president warned that tariffs could be imposed on Canada over the cross-border smoke, citing inadequate forest management.
During a call with Canada’s prime minister, the president demanded action to stop the fires from "poisoning" American air and suggested damages or trade penalties may be warranted.
At least 128 separate fires are burning through remote northwestern Ontario, with severe warnings issued near national parks along Lake Superior.
An evacuation order covers Armstrong and several First Nation communities, displacing residents as flames advance through woodland and rail corridors.
Footage from a trapped engineering crew showed a wall of orange fire enveloping their locomotive near Armstrong as the blaze consumed tracks and trees.
Northern Ontario is also under a severe heat warning, with humidity pushing perceived temperatures to roughly 40 degrees Celsius and complicating firefighting efforts.
