Trump floats EU tariffs if Canada invite deemed hostile act

Skip to Content News Archives Economy Energy Oil & Gas Renewables Electric Vehicles Mining Commodities Agriculture Real Estate Mortgages Mortgage Rates Finance Banking Insurance Fintech Cryptocurrency Work Wealth Smart Money Wealth Management Investor Personal Finance Family Finance Retirement Taxes High Net Worth FP Comment Executive Women Puzzmo Newsletters Financial Times Business Essentials More Innovation Information Technology FP500 Podcasts Small Business Lives Told Tails Told Shopping Financial Post Store Obituaries Place a Notice Advertising Advertising With Us Advertising Solutions Postmedia Ad Manager Sponsorship Requests Classifieds Place a Classifieds ad Working Profile Settings My Subscriptions My Offers Newsletters Customer Service FAQ News Economy Energy Mining Real Estate Finance Work Wealth Investor FP Comment Executive Women Puzzmo Newsletters Financial Times Business Essentials This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.HomeNewsEconomyTrump floats EU tariffs if Canada invite deemed hostile actEuropean Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has proposed Canada becoming the first associate member of the EUAuthor of the article:Hadriana Lowenkron and Jeff MasonU.S. President Donald Trump greets supporters before speaking at a campaign rally with North Carolina Republican Senate candidate, former RNC Chairman Michael Whatley at Gastonia Municipal Airport on September 16, 2026 in Gastonia, North Carolina. Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty ImagesU.S. President Donald Trump floated hitting goods imported from the European Union with fresh tariffs or even cutting off some trade if he determined that a push to make Canada a potential associate of the bloc was harmful to the U.S.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLYSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman, and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESCreate an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an Account“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 Wednesday when asked about the proposal.“If Europe does that with a bad intention — if it’s a good intention, that’s fine — if it’s a bad intention, we’ll put very heavy tariffs on Europe,” he added.SUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVE: FP West: Energy Insider brings you behind the oilpatch’s closed doors with exclusive insights from insiders every Wednesday morning.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of FP West: Energy Insider will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againEuropean Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has proposed Canada becoming the first associate member of the European Union, saying she would like to work with Prime Minister Mark Carney on the idea. She offered the invitation during her state of the union address in Strasbourg, France, Wednesday, with Carney in attendance.Responding to Trump’s comments, European Commission spokesman Olof Gill said the proposed EU-Canada partnership was “not against anyone else,” pointing to Ursula von der Leyen’s European Parliament speech.“As our President made clear yesterday, the proposed strengthening of our partnership with Canada is not against anyone else, but for our common strength,” he said in a statement on Thursday.Trump’s comments risk further inflaming a simmering trade war between the U.S. and Canada, two longtime allies whose economies are closely linked. After trade talks collapsed last month, Trump imposed 50 per cent tariffs on US$20 billion of goods imported from Canada, and Carney retaliated with roughly equal levies on U.S.-made products.The president on Wednesday slapped yet another escalation on the U.S.’s northern neighbour by making good on a threat to restrict Canadian goods from federal government purchases.Canada’s government has made clear it is eager to boost economic ties with the rest of the world, including the EU, in a multi-year strategic shift to reorient trade flows more to the east and west, rather than being primarily focused southbound toward the U.S.Yet there is much uncertainty over the offer to make the country an “associate member” of the EU, including what that would entail. Negotiations could also take years.And the move, as Trump’s comments indicate, could draw blowback from the U.S., which Carney has said sought greater input over Ottawa’s trade deals with other economies.Trump over the weekend had expressed optimism about resolving the trade fight between the U.S. and its northern neighbour, saying he saw a deal coming “fairly soon,” even as he offered no details on any resumption of formal talks between the two countries. It’s unclear what legal authority Trump would use to impose his fresh threat of penalties.“I think it’s laughable,” Trump said Wednesday of the EU’s invite to Canada. “Canada has been a terrible trade partner,” he added.With assistance from Laura Curtis and Suzanne LynchThis advertisement has not loaded yet.Notice for the Postmedia NetworkThis website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. 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