EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey - President of the United States Donald Trump stated on Sunday that he told Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney that Canada must do a better job controlling forest fires in Ontario. According to Reuters agency report from July 19, flames have generated a dense layer of smoke affecting several U.S. states, from the Midwest to the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.
Conversation during World Cup Final
The American president's statement came after attending the FIFA World Cup 2026 final match between Spain and Argentina at New York New Jersey stadium. Trump spoke with reporters after returning from the sporting event, where he coincided with Carney. "I have a good relationship with Mark Carney, but we must stop those fires," said Trump to journalists.
The American leader did not limit himself to expressing concern about the environmental situation. In his conversation and subsequent statements, he suggested punitive measures if Canadian actions did not improve significantly. "Maybe they should pay us for some damages or something like that, or we should apply tariffs," stated Trump. This stance follows previous threats of imposing additional tariffs on Canadian goods as punishment for smoke crossing the border.
Canada's Response and Climate Data
To date, Prime Minister Carney's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment on these statements. However, in a post made on the X platform Saturday prior to the meeting, Carney detailed his country's current efforts. He indicated that Canada has deployed more than 5,300 firefighting personnel and is using advanced data and thermal images to support real-time detection and mitigation, more context in Canadian Leaders Eye Trade Leverage Against US Pressure.
The severity of the situation is reflected in official figures from the Canadian government, which indicate that approximately 5.9 million acres (2.4 million hectares) have burned during this fire season. Dense smoke has forced numerous U.S. residents to remain indoors since Thursday, generating public health alerts.
Climate experts point out that higher global temperatures are driving an increase in the frequency and intensity of wildfires worldwide. The interaction between Trump and Carney at this international sporting event puts on the table diplomatic tension derived from these transboundary environmental crises.
