'We should show some humanity': Schiff reprimands Trump over insults aimed at Canada amid wildfires

President Donald Trump has never looked kindly upon Canada, having previously threatened to make it the 51st American state, and he was at it again after threatening the country with tariffs over its alleged mismanagement of wildfires. Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) was quick to remind Trump of Canada's contributions in helping the U.S. manage its own wildfires. "When California was burning, Canada sent firefighters, planes and assistance—not insults. I was proud to meet them and to thank them when they would break for dinner," he wrote on X.

The 66-year-old, who is a member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, suggested it's best to ignore Trump. "As California and other states step up to repay the favor, we should do so without the threats and ramblings of a failing leader. We should show some humanity," he said. Schiff's remarks come as wildfires continue to rage across Canada, with 903 active fires, according to Natural Resources Canada and the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, adding that 3,656 fires have been reported in 2026 so far.

The wildfires have brought smoke into the U.S., which has not gone down well with Trump, who issued a sharp warning to his counterpart, Mark Carney, on Friday. "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, adding that he will ask Carney about his mitigation plan.

The post went on to explain that the cost of the pollution was incalculable. "Canada has refused to engage in basic Forest Management and Debris Removal, knowing that such refusal will lead to exactly this result. 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," Trump concluded.

Trump's comments came right on the heels of a letter sent by Republican members of Congress from Michigan to Canadian Ambassador Mark Wiseman, warning that their state was "facing significant air quality threats as a result of Canadian wildfire smoke. "Unfortunately, this is not the first year Canadian wildfire smoke has posed a threat to our state," the lawmakers wrote. "This crisis has been largely driven by decades of inadequate forest management that allowed hazardous fuels to accumulate, leading to larger and more devastating fires."

The delegation requested a meeting by July 24, 2026, to discuss a plan of action. Air quality in 18 states and the District of Columbia has deteriorated, with "very unhealthy" and "hazardous" ratings stretching from northeast Minnesota to southeast Virginia, according to CNN. Doug Ford, premier of Ontario—which is experiencing nearly 200 wildfires of its own—retorted sharply to comments from American politicians.

"I find it a shame the administration in the U.S. and Congress people (are) writing these letters and blaming us," he said. "They have a very short memory. We had the water bombers, everyone ready, going over to California. It was last year. That's what neighbors do, right? You don't get on and start threatening and criticizing, because, guess what? One day, it's going to be your turn," he continued. "And we're going to be down there without hesitation to support our neighbors."