Fact Check: Did Trump vow to use 'giant faucet' in California to extinguish Canadian wildfires?
WASHINGTON, DC: Amid the impact of the Canadian wildfire in the United States, a rumor is circulating on social media platforms claiming that President Donald Trump had said that he would turn on the giant faucet in California to extinguish the fire in Canada. While many believed the claim, a few others appeared to remain skeptical, calling for a fact-check.
Claim: Trump suggests turning on giant faucet in California to extinguish Canadian wildfire
As wildfires in Canada continue to degrade air quality in the US Great Lakes region, a screenshot began circulating online claiming to show a post by Trump on his official Truth Social handle in which he suggested turning on the faucet to extinguish the wildfire.
The alleged post states, “I am going to California to turn the GIANT FAUCET exactly 37 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT and aim the beautiful water directly at Canada, under the strong leadership of Prime Minister Mark Carney, where it will extinguish the wildfires almost immediately."
"Nobody else thought of this—not Newsom, not Prime Minister Carney, not even the so-called experts. They have been staring at the faucet for YEARS and never turned it. I will turn it, Canada will stop burning, and America will have clean air again. Sometimes the simplest solutions require a very stable genius!”
The alleged post has gone viral on Facebook and X, prompting users to question its authenticity.
Fact Check: False, Donald Trump made no such post
The post is fake, as Trump has made no such post as of this writing. According to the screenshot, the post was published on July 18, 2026; however, a search on Truth Social and other archival accounts did not locate any post from that date or any other time.
The screenshot also incorrectly replicated Trump’s profile, as his actual account features a red check mark and a white-and-turquoise plus sign, while the fabricated post only included the red check mark, the emblem that Truth Social uses to designate verified accounts.
Donald Trump blames Canada over wildfire smoke
The fake screenshot circulated after Trump on Friday, July 17, threatened to impose additional tariff-related costs on Canada, accusing the country of failing to properly manage its forests as smoke from hundreds of active wildfires spread across large parts of the US.
“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.
