Sept 2026 : US President Donald Trump has warned the European Union that Washington could impose heavy tariffs or restrict trade with the bloc if it proceeds with a proposal to make Canada its first associate member.
Trump made the remarks on Wednesday while speaking to reporters in North Carolina, describing the proposed arrangement as “laughable” and suggesting it could be considered a “hostile act” depending on the EU’s intentions. He also criticised Canada, calling it a “terrible trade partner.”
The comments came shortly after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed closer ties between the EU and Canada during her annual State of the Union address in Strasbourg. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney attended the address and is scheduled to address the European Parliament.
Von der Leyen said the EU wanted to work with Canada to open the way for it to become the bloc’s first associate member. She proposed moving beyond the existing Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) towards an “Alliance for the Future”, covering areas including defence, technology, energy, critical minerals, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and the Arctic.
Trump said the US response would depend on the EU’s intentions. He warned that if the initiative was pursued with what he regarded as “bad intention”, Washington could impose “very heavy tariffs” on Europe and potentially halt trade in several areas.
The EU-Canada proposal comes amid worsening trade relations between Washington and Ottawa. Canada has been seeking to diversify its international economic and security partnerships as tensions with the US increase.
Carney has advocated a closer relationship with Europe while seeking to expand Canada’s trade beyond the United States. The proposed associate membership would, however, require further discussion among EU institutions and member states, and its precise legal framework has yet to be established
(Disclaimer :The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)
