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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU wants to open the door for Canada to become its first-ever 'associate member,' a move that would significantly deepen ties between Brussels and Ottawa. The proposal comes as the Trump administration's trade war with both Canada and the EU continues to strain transatlantic and North American commercial relations. President Trump responded by calling the associate-membership proposal a 'hostile act' and threatened to impose new tariffs on the EU in retaliation, escalating tensions just as Brussels seeks to formalize closer ties with Ottawa. The exchange underscores how the U.S. trade dispute with both Canada and Europe is intensifying rather than de-escalating, raising the risk of broader tariff actions affecting transatlantic and North American trade.