'You'll find out about it': Trump hints at Canada's wildfire smoke punishment

U.S. President Donald Trump has said he’s decided on a “punishment” for Canada following wildfires that pushed smoke across the border and affected air quality in some areas of the United States. But he hasn’t revealed what it is.

While speaking to reporters on Air Force One on Sunday night, Trump was asked: “On Canada, have you decided on a punishment yet for the wildfire smoke?”

“I have, yeah,” he replied. “You’ll find out about it.”

Though the U.S. president did not elaborate on what this punishment could be, he has previously threatened to impose further tariffs on Canada in response to smoke from wildfires in northern Ontario, which he called “unacceptable” in a July 17 Truth Social post.

“The United States is being unnecessarily invaded by filthy, polluted, and unhealthy air, the quality of which is dangerous, and totally unacceptable,” Trump wrote.

He added: “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.”

Reporter: On Canada, have you decided on a punishment yet for the wildfire smoke?Trump: You’ll find out about it. pic.twitter.com/EU0a7mdR0v

While speaking to reporters at an air base in Maryland after attending the FIFA World Cup final on July 19, Trump said he had confronted Prime Minister Mark Carney at the event over the wildfires.

“I told him you’ve got to stop these fires from coming in and poisoning our air, our air’s been poisoned,” he said. “I have a good relationship with Mark Carney but, you know, we’ve got to stop the fires up there. If we can help them we’ll help them, but maybe they should pay us some damages or something, or we should do some tariffs?”

Ontario Premier Doug Ford later dismissed the notion of more tariffs as “rubbish” during a press conference the following day.

Premier Doug Ford said American politicians who have complained about Canadian “inaction” on wildfires should remember that Ontario has often sent resources to help deal with natural disasters south of the border.“If there’s some politician out there chirping away, maybe what… pic.twitter.com/88dCltIhmN