Trump threatens EU with tariffs over 'laughable' Canada association plan

US President Donald Trump has threatened to impose steep tariffs on the European Union if it goes ahead with a proposal to make Canada its first associate member, describing the move as a possible "hostile act".

The proposal, backed by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, aims to establish closer ties between Canada and the EU in key sectors. According to France 24, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is seeking to pivot away from the US, with whom Canada has tense relations, particularly over trade.

Carney is due to address the European Parliament, where von der Leyen has expressed her desire to work on "opening the door" for Canada to become an associate member. The move is seen as a strategic choice for Europe, but also a response to the fracture in the international rules-based system, according to von der Leyen, as reported by The Chronicle Ghana.

Brief written by urgent.news from France 24, Euronews, Punch, Punch Nigeria, The Chronicle Ghana — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.