Canada prepares to become 'European'.. Trump: 'An aggressive act'
Washington – Agencies: US President Donald Trump condemned the European Union’s decision to allow Canada to join as an associate member as an “hostile act” and threatened to impose further tariffs. At the same time, Canada formally submitted an application to join a UK-led military alliance. Trump linked his threat to the “intentions” of European leaders, stating, “If the intentions are good, that’s fine. But if the intentions are bad, we will impose very high tariffs on Europe.” He also hinted that the United States might halt trade with Europe in certain sectors.
In response to Trump’s remarks, the European Commission confirmed yesterday that the EU-Canada partnership project in no way constitutes an alliance hostile to the United States. Olof Gill, the European Commission spokesperson for trade, said, “The proposal to enhance our partnership with Canada is not directed against anyone.”
Trump’s threats followed a proposal by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for Canada to become the EU’s first “partner member,” in an effort to elevate relations between the two sides. Addressing Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who was invited to Strasbourg to attend her annual State of the Union address, von der Leyen said, “We want to elevate relations with Canada to the highest possible level (...) and therefore I would like to work with you to explore the possibility of Canada becoming the first partner member of the European Union.” She also proposed Canada’s accession to a proposed “European Security Council.”
The office of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that the country had formally applied to join the Joint Expeditionary Force, a UK-led military alliance, as part of its efforts to diversify its defense ties away from the United States. The force, which includes ten NATO member states, is a rapid-response military partnership. In a statement, Carney’s office said, “Prime Minister Carney announced that Canada has formally applied to join the Joint Expeditionary Force, and welcomed the UK’s support for Canada’s participation in this important initiative.”
Canada, a NATO member, is seeking to strengthen military cooperation with European countries in an attempt to reduce its dependence on the United States. Carney previously met with UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham in northern England. The two discussed opportunities for industrial cooperation in the defense sector through the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), an advanced fighter jet project to which Canada joined as an observer in July 2026, according to Carney’s office.
The Joint Expeditionary Force includes Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. This year, Canada became the first non-EU country to join the EU’s “SAFER” defense procurement program. Additionally, discussions are underway to ease rules on labor mobility and increase student exchanges through the EU’s Erasmus program.
