NewsBeat
Trump Torched After Threatening To Cut Off US Trade With Europe
Donald Trump has been condemned after he threatened to cut off US trade with Europe over the EU’s attempts to have closer ties with Canada.
The US president said he could take the drastic step after EU president Ursula von der Leyen announced that Canada is to become the bloc’s first ever “associate member”.
It comes amid the ongoing trade war between the US and Canada.
Talks between America and Canada have collapsed, with Trump imposing 50% tariffs on imports from its northern neighbour.
Reacting to the news on Wednesday, Trump said that could be construed as “a hostile act”.
He said: “I think it’s laughable. Canada has been a terrible trade partner.
“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.
“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 them.”
Such a move would be unprecedented by an American president, and would be potentially disastrous for the European economy, which relies heavily on selling goods to America.
Trump’s comments drew an angry response online, with one X user saying the president “does not understand how trade works in the 21st century”.
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