Trump threatens EU with new tariffs over possible Canada association

US President Donald Trump has issued a warning to the European Union, saying that if the bloc grants Canada the status of an "associated member state," he will impose new import tariffs on goods originating from the EU.

Trump made the threat in connection with the possibility that the European Union could deepen its relationship with Canada by granting it a special, associate membership status within the bloc. The US president indicated that such a move by the European Union would trigger a trade response from Washington — specifically, additional customs duties on EU-made products entering the American market.

Context

The statement comes at a time when tariffs remain a significant element of US trade policy toward various partners, including the European Union. The source report does not specify a timeline or the potential scale of tariffs Trump could apply.

Neither the European Union nor Canada has so far officially announced plans to pursue such an association arrangement. Trump nonetheless chose to make his warning public, underscoring that the United States is closely watching any potential changes in EU-Canada relations and is prepared to respond with trade restrictions should such a step be taken.