Trump threatens Canada with tariffs over wildfire smoke

July 17 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump on Friday threatened to impose tariffs on Canadian imports over wildfire smoke pouring into the United States, accusing the country of "willful negligence" in its management of the crisis.

More than a dozen states across the Midwest and Northeast were under air-quality alerts due to hundreds of uncontrolled wildfires in Canada.

"We are holding Canada responsible for the fact that they are not properly maintaining their Forests, and Brush therein, and the United States is being unnecessarily invaded by filthy, polluted, and unhealthy air, the quality of which is dangerous, and totally unacceptable!" Trump wrote on Truth Social.

There were at least 896 active wildfires reported in Canada as of Friday, 70 of which started in the past 24 hours, the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre reported.

Trump said, "Canada has refused to engage in basic Forest Management and Debris Removal."

"This is Willful Negligence, and becoming a yearly occurrence, costing the United States Billions of Dollars, which cost of this pollution must of necessity be added to the TARIFFS Canada is currently paying," the president added.

Tariffs have been one Trump's preferred go-to methods in dealing with international disputes, despite the Supreme Court having decided in February that he doesn't have unilateral authority to impose them.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has not responded directly to the threat of tariffs.

Speaking to reporters, he said, "Fighting climate change is the responsibility of all countries, including the United States."