Trump Threatens Heavy EU Tariffs Over Canada Membership Bid, Targets $280 Billion Procurement Access
Updated
Updated · Fox Business · Sep 17
Trump Threatens Heavy EU Tariffs Over Canada Membership Bid, Targets $280 Billion Procurement Access
3 articles · Updated · Fox Business · Sep 17
Summary
Trump said he could impose “very heavy tariffs” on Europe—or halt trade in some goods—if Canada’s proposed EU associate membership is pursued with “bad intention,” calling the idea “laughable.”
Ursula von der Leyen floated Canada as the EU’s first associate member while pitching an “Alliance for the Future” covering manufacturing, defense, energy, AI, cybersecurity and the Arctic.
The warning lands as U.S.-Canada trade tensions deepen: Trump also signed a memorandum ordering officials to identify Canadian products that could be excluded from the U.S. federal civilian procurement system.
The White House said Canadian firms currently have access to more than $280 billion a year in covered U.S. federal procurement, while accusing Ottawa and the provinces of discriminatory “Buy Canadian” barriers.
Canada is seeking to cut reliance on the U.S. by doubling non-U.S. trade over the next decade, but any EU associate status would still require approval from member states.