As more than 800 wildfires burned across Canada, millions of Americans experienced days of unhealthy air quality from the smoke that drifted across the border. Air quality alerts were issued in over a dozen states, outdoor activities were canceled, and public health agencies issued guidance for people to stay indoors or wear an N95 mask.
Some right-wing media figures slammed or mocked this advice. And some Republican politicians, including President Donald Trump, accused Canada of “willful negligence” and forest mismanagement while threatening to impose sanctions or tariffs on the Canadian government.
“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,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
Republican lawmakers, all recipients of significant sums of fossil fuel cash, also pointed fingers at Canada and claimed the fires and smoke were the result of forest mismanagement. Senator Bernie Moreno of Ohio introduced a bill called the Canada Fire Act, which would impose sanctions on Canada for the transboundary wildfire smoke impacting the US. Moreno’s office said in a statement: “Canada’s government failed to invest in wildfire-prevention methods including forest thinning, fuel reduction, prescribed burns, and stronger enforcement against arson.” Four Republican House members from Michigan, meanwhile, sent a strongly worded ...
In the aftermath of Saturday's attack at Berlin's Christopher Street Day LGBTQ+ Pride celebrations, more and more details have emerged about the alleged perpetrator and the attack itself. But as i...