Washington, September 17, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
US President Donald Trump has warned that Washington could impose heavy tariffs or restrict trade with Europe if a potential arrangement between Canada and the European Union is directed against US interests.
Speaking to reporters at Charlotte airport in North Carolina on September 16, Trump criticised Canada as a trading partner and questioned the possibility of the country becoming an associate member of the European Union.
“Canada’s been a terrible trade partner,” Trump said, adding that if such an arrangement were considered a “hostile act”, the US could impose “very serious tariffs” or stop trading with Europe on several goods.
Trump did not announce any new tariffs, identify specific European products that could face restrictions or provide a timeline for possible action. His comments were framed as a potential response to the intention behind any Canada-EU arrangement.
He said Washington’s response would depend on whether Europe acted with what he described as good or bad intentions.
“If it’s a good intention, that’s fine,” Trump said, adding that if he considered the move to have a bad intention, the US could impose “very heavy tariffs” on Europe.
Trump also defended his approach to trade deficits during the exchange with reporters. He argued that ending trade with a country with which the US runs a deficit would eliminate that deficit.
He did not provide details on how such a move could affect US businesses or consumers and did not identify a specific trading relationship that Washington planned to terminate.
On Iran, Trump said Tehran wanted to reach an agreement and expressed hope that the conflict was nearing an end.
“Hopefully we’re towards the end of the war. They want to make a deal, and we’ll see how that works out,” he said, adding that Iran was “very much wanting to make a deal”.
Trump did not provide a timeline or details of any potential agreement with Iran.
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