Trump threatens tariffs on EU over proposed Canada association plan

Commenting on European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s proposal, Trump told reporters: "I think it's laughable," when asked about the plan.

"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," he added.

Trump also said the response would depend on the EU’s intentions.

"If it's a good intention, that's fine. If it's a bad intention, we'll put very heavy tariffs on Europe, which is a possibility," he said.

The comments came after von der Leyen proposed strengthening the EU’s relationship with Canada during her annual State of the Union address to the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday.

She said the EU and Canada would seek to upgrade their existing ties under the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) into an "Alliance for the Future." The proposed framework would cover areas including manufacturing, technology, defense, the Arctic, energy, critical minerals and artificial intelligence.

Addressing Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who attended the speech, von der Leyen said: "I would like to work with you on opening the door for Canada to be the first associate member of the EU."

The European Commission president said she wanted to take relations between the EU and Canada to "the highest level possible."

Earlier, Qazinform reported U.S. President Donald Trump had dismissed growing warnings about the risks posed by artificial intelligence, stressing that Washington must retain its technological lead over China.