Doomsday Clock Tensions Rise as Trump Threatens EU Tariffs Over Canada Associate Membership
US President Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs on the EU or cut trade entirely after Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney welcomed a proposal for Canada to become the EU's first associate member, as doomsday clock tensions rise over these transatlantic frictions.
Trump's Tariff Threat Over EU-Canada Ties
US President Donald Trump has threatened new tariffs on the European Union after Canada welcomed a proposal for closer ties with the bloc, including a new form of associate membership. [4] Donald Trump reacted angrily to an EU proposal to make Canada its first “associate member,” a move that could foster closer ties on tech, defence and energy. [5] Trump derided the proposal as “laughable” and threatened to impose tariffs or even cut trade entirely with the EU if it goes ahead. [5] The dispute emerged as Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney told the European Parliament that Ottawa wanted deeper cooperation with Europe on trade, defence, energy, technology and critical minerals. [4]
Carney's Address to European Parliament
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday welcomed a proposal for his country to become the European Union's first “associate member,” shrugging off threats from United States President Donald Trump. [1] Speaking in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Carney said Canada “welcomes” the ambition expressed by EU chief Ursula von der Leyen to make the country an associate member. [1] “We are not fair-weather allies. We do not pursue zero-sum deals. We hold common values for which we have always fought, and in whose defence we must always remain vigilant,” Carney said to applause from European lawmakers. [1] “Canada and Europe are each strong. Europe and Canada are stronger together.” [1] Trump called von der Leyen's unprecedented offer “laughable” on Wednesday, telling reporters he could impose “very serious tariffs” or “stop trading with Europe” should the plan go ahead. [1] Carney rejected these threats, saying: “Nobody is going to tell us what language we speak, no one is going to dictate our culture, or with whom we can strike agreements internationally.” [1] He insisted that an EU-Canada alliance aimed to be a “beacon for democracies.” [1] “I am not proposing a third bloc in order to become a great-power rival, only with better manners,” he continued. [1] “We do not seek power to dominate others. On the contrary, we are pursuing resilience so that no one can control our open markets, impair our sovereignty, threaten our territorial integrity, or undermine our freedoms, our democracies, our rule of law.” [1] Carney listed a raft of areas where he wanted to ramp up cooperation. [1] “Canada and Europe should secure our strategic autonomy through deep cooperation in the full range of strategic capabilities, including critical minerals, defence industrial capacity, AI and computing, energy security, space and payments.” [1] He also said the EU and Canada should move towards “seamless digital trade” and allow young people to work and study on either side of the Atlantic. [1] This year, Canada became the first non-EU country to join a flagship defence loan programme. [1] Von der Leyen has also proposed that Canada join the future European Security Council, which would bring together the EU and partners including the United Kingdom, Norway and Ukraine. [1]
US President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference at the White House. — Source: iraninternational
Context of US Pressure on Allies
Both the EU and Canada have been buffeted by tariffs and territorial threats from the US, as well as competition from China. [1] Carney rejected these threats, saying nobody is going to dictate with whom Canada can strike agreements internationally. [1] He insisted that an EU-Canada alliance aimed to be a “beacon for democracies.” [1] “I am not proposing a third bloc in order to become a great-power rival, only with better manners,” he continued. [1] French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said that Paris was in favour of “creating ever-closer ties with Canada,” but that the plan would be “debated, scrutinised and analysed” before France took a definitive position. [1] Under EU rules, member states have to approve any form of partnership with a third country, and it was unclear how much support von der Leyen's proposal would receive from capitals. [1]
US Sanctions on Iran and Russia
The US House of Representatives passed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, clearing the sweeping measure for President Donald Trump’s signature as Washington also signaled that the Iran war could be approaching a diplomatic turning point. [2]
US Visa Ban on Palestinian Leaders at UN
The United States has denied Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas a visa to attend the UN General Assembly in New York next week, repeating a move that drew widespread criticism last year. [3] In a statement on Wednesday, the US State Department said it would extend visa restrictions to members of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and officials with the Palestinian Authority (PA). [3] The Palestinian foreign ministry condemned the decision as an “unjustified measure that contradicts efforts to restore confidence, develop Palestinian-American relations, and create the necessary political climate for implementing the two-state solution and achieving peace and stability in the region”. [3] The State Department said it was extending the restrictions on PA officials as “a consequence of their failure to reform, contrary to their commitments to the United States, and their ongoing activities that undermine the prospects for peace”. [3] Abbas is among those barred from entering the US for the gathering. [3] The Trump administration took the same step last year, preventing Abbas and other senior Palestinian officials from attending the General Assembly in person. [3] As part of its justification for once again barring Palestinian officials, the US explicitly cited Palestinian efforts to pursue Israel through international courts and secure greater international recognition for a Palestinian state. [3] The Palestinian Authority was “taking actions to internationalize the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, including through the International Criminal Court (ICC) and International Court of Justice (ICJ) [and] seeking to bypass negotiations through seeking unilateral recognition,” the State Department said. [3] In response, the Palestinian foreign ministry rejected the US claim that the “Palestinian people's recourse to the United Nations, the International Court of Justice, and the International Criminal Court constitutes an act that undermines peace.” [3]
Broader Geopolitical Implications and Doomsday Clock Tensions
The developments reflect US assertiveness toward allies and international bodies amid ongoing Middle East and transatlantic tensions. [1] [2] [3] Both the EU and Canada have been buffeted by tariffs and territorial threats from the US. [1] The US House passed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 for Trump’s signature as the administration signaled the Iran war may near a diplomatic end. [2] The US barred Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and other officials from attending the UN General Assembly, citing their pursuit of Israel at the ICC and ICJ and efforts for unilateral recognition, repeating last year's restrictions. [3]
What to watch next: Member states must approve any form of partnership with a third country under EU rules, and it remains unclear how much support von der Leyen's proposal for Canada would receive from capitals.
