US President Donald Trump on Friday, July 17th, 2026, blamed Canada for the wildfire smoke spreading across the United States and said he would add the “incalculable cost” of dealing with the pollution to existing tariffs on Canadian goods.

Heavy smoke from hundreds of Canadian fires enveloped a large area of the US from the Midwest to the Northeast on Thursday and Friday, prompting officials to warn residents to stay indoors. Detroit was reported as the most polluted city in the world on Friday, according to tracker IQAir. Washington and Chicago also experienced poor air quality, with officials advising against spending unnecessary time outside.

In New York and neighboring New Jersey, where the World Cup football final is scheduled for Sunday, July 19th, in an open stadium, the metro area was experiencing air quality that could be unhealthy for sensitive groups. This marked an improvement after smog on Thursday had made the Manhattan skyline barely visible. However, the National Weather Service (NWS) warned that the smoke might thicken overnight into Saturday morning.

Tournament organizers are monitoring the situation closely, White House World Cup task force executive director Andrew Giuliani said during a briefing.

Sources