Trump warns of ‘very tough tariffs’ if EU makes Canada an associate member | Today’s news
US President Donald Trump has warned the European Union of possible retaliation if the bloc moves ahead with a proposal to make Canada its first associate member, Reuters reported.
Trump told reporters during a trip to an event in North Carolina that the EU could face “very serious tariffs” or trade restrictions with the US if it deemed the move hostile.
“If they do that, if I think it’s a hostile act at all, I’m going to impose very serious tariffs or stop doing business with Europe on a lot of things,” Trump said, calling the proposal “ridiculous.”
Trump added that the US response would depend on the EU’s intentions. If the move was made with “bad intent,” he said Washington would impose “very severe tariffs” on Europe, while a move made with “good intent” would not trigger such action.
France rejects US role in EU geopolitical decisions
French Europe Minister Benjamin Haddad dismissed Trump’s warning on Thursday, saying Washington has no authority over the EU’s geopolitical decisions.
“It is not up to the United States – or anyone else – to choose the political and geopolitical direction of the Europeans,” Haddad said in an interview with French television Public Senat.
He said the EU has an existing relationship with Canada and is entitled to strengthen those ties.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen unveiled the associate membership proposal on Wednesday during her annual State of the Union address. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney attended the speech as von der Leyen called for closer cooperation between allies in what she described as an “openly hostile world”.
The proposal comes as the EU faces security concerns over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, while both Europe and Canada deal with trade tensions with the US and a more assertive China.
Canada seeks closer relations with the EU
Carney said earlier this month he was seeking a “unique alliance” with the EU as relations between Ottawa and Washington have soured since Trump’s return to the White House.
The tensions have resulted in tariffs affecting tens of billions of dollars worth of trade across the US-Canada border.
The EU has traditionally been reluctant to promote flexible alliances that lack formal legal status. One EU diplomat said the proposal came as a surprise, noting that “no one really knows what it means”.
Carney is scheduled to address the European Parliament on Thursday morning.
