Trump says Canada becoming EU ‘associate member’ could be ‘hostile act’

President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the United States might respond with heavy tariffs or reduced trade if the European Union’s planned ‘associate member’ status for Canada were intended to harm US interests. Speaking to reporters in Charlotte, North Carolina, Trump described Canada as a 'terrible trade partner' and called the idea of Canadian ties with the EU 'laughable' if aimed against the US.

The comments followed a proposal from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to explore a formalized associate relationship for Canada, a step intended to deepen transatlantic cooperation as Ottawa seeks alternatives to its heavy economic reliance on the United States. How such an 'associate member' arrangement would function was not set out in von der Leyen’s remarks, and no existing EU treaty currently defines that status.

According to the report, any move to create an associate membership would require approval from EU member states. The Canadian government’s office, referred to in the source as Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s office, welcomed the prospect of a stronger alliance with Europe while stopping short of explicitly endorsing the specific 'associate member' label.

Discussions between Canada and the EU are already underway on deeper collaboration across trade, technology, defence, energy, critical minerals and Arctic issues, with more detailed talks expected at a Canada-EU summit in Montreal next month. The initiative comes amid an escalating trade dispute between Canada and the United States, which has prompted Ottawa to seek closer ties with other partners in Europe.