U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to impose severe tariffs on the European Union or restrict trade with the bloc if it moves forward with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s proposal to make Canada the EU’s first associate member.
“If they do that, if I think it’s at all a hostile act, I will put very serious tariffs or stop trading with Europe on many things,” Trump told reporters while traveling to an event in North Carolina.
He described the proposal as “laughable” and warned that Washington could respond with significant trade measures if it determined that the move was intended as a hostile act.
“If it’s a good intention, that’s fine. If it’s a bad intention, we’ll put very heavy tariffs on Europe,” Trump added.
European Commission Rejects Hostile Characterization
The European Commission said the proposal was not intended as a hostile move against the United States or any other country.
European Commission spokesperson Olof Gill said the initiative was aimed at strengthening cooperation with Canada and supporting the interests of both sides.
The proposal has not yet been fully developed and would require approval from EU member states before it could move forward.
France Says Washington Cannot Veto EU Choices
France’s Europe Minister Benjamin Haddad rejected the idea that the United States could determine the EU’s geopolitical direction.
He said decisions concerning Europe’s political and geopolitical orientation should be made by Europeans themselves and not by Washington or any other external power.
Von der Leyen presented the proposal on Wednesday during her annual State of the Union address, which was attended by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
She framed the initiative as part of efforts to deepen cooperation among allies amid what she described as an increasingly hostile international environment.
The European Union is facing security challenges linked to Russia’s war in Ukraine, while both the bloc and Canada have also been dealing with trade tensions with the United States and growing competition from China.
Canada Seeks Closer Ties With Europe
Earlier this month, Carney said he was seeking a “unique alliance” with the European Union as relations between Ottawa and Washington have deteriorated since Trump returned to the White House.
The tensions have contributed to tariffs affecting tens of billions of dollars in cross-border trade between Canada and the United States.
Carney is scheduled to address the European Parliament at 11:30 a.m. local time, or 09:30 GMT.
It remains unclear whether the associate membership proposal would receive sufficient support from EU member states or whether Canada itself would agree to the arrangement.
Uncertainty Over Associate Membership Proposal
The proposal has also raised questions within the European Union over its scope and legal framework.
One European diplomat expressed surprise at the initiative, saying its precise meaning remained unclear and warning that the European Commission could be promising more than it would ultimately be able to deliver.
The EU has historically been cautious about flexible partnership arrangements that lack a clear legal status.
Another European diplomat described the proposal as unfortunate and said it had not been discussed with member states before being announced.
A third diplomat argued that Trump’s reaction reflected a broader view of international relations in which closer partnerships between countries could be seen as affecting the interests of other powers.
The diplomat said describing closer EU-Canada cooperation as a hostile act could suggest that partnerships are being viewed as a zero-sum contest, while also raising questions about how Washington views Canada’s position as an independent country.
The contrasting reactions highlight the uncertainty surrounding the proposed associate membership and the potential implications it could have for relations between the European Union, Canada and the United States.
