15:33 - 18.09.2026

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September 18, Fineko/abc.az. U.S. President Donald Trump warned that Washington could impose severe tariffs or halt trade with the European Union in select sectors if the bloc grants Canada "associate member" status.

Speaking to reporters in Charlotte, North Carolina, Trump suggested that such an arrangement could be viewed as a "hostile act" against the United States, depending on the intentions of European leaders.

Trump’s remarks follow European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's invitation to Canada to become the EU’s first associate member. The initiative comes as Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney seeks to diversify Ottawa’s trade away from heavy reliance on the U.S. amid ongoing tariff disputes with Washington. Calling the prospect of Canada joining the EU "laughable," Trump criticized America's northern neighbor as a "terrible trade partner".