President Trump targets EU trade; still floating the idea of Canada being the 51st U.S State

This week, President Donald Trump flexed the power of the U.S. when it comes to trade. Mexico and Canada made concessions to avoid tariffs, and now Trump is looking at the European Union.

“Well, we have massive deficits with the European Union, massive like $350 billion, if you can believe it,” Pres. Trump said. “They don’t take our farm products. They don’t take our cars.”

Trump says the EU has abused the U.S. for years, and that needs to change. He also repeated the notion that it could be in Canada‘s best interest to become the 51st state of the United States, saying they have a lot more to lose than we do.

“Why are we willing to lose between $100 billion and $200 billion a year?” Trump said. “We don’t need that. As a state, it’s different, and there are no tariffs. I’d love to see that, but some people say that would be a long shot. If people wanted to play the game right, it would be 100% certain that they become a state.”

This week, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau offered concessions to keep the tariffs at bay for at least a month. President Trump is expected to keep in talks with Canada and Mexico over the next 30 days.

Related Stories
For agriculture, the meeting is seen as a potential turning point, with markets watching closely for any signals on trade, exports, and future purchasing commitments.
Citrus production depends heavily on reliable irrigation, making water shortages a critical issue for South Texas growers moving forward.
As farmers and ranchers navigate rising input costs, lawmakers are considering a roughly $15 billion aid package to help, which would be tied to the spending bill for the war with Iran.
Ranchers have a lot going on at the moment, but some ‘friendly’ news could be coming with this month’s Cattle-on-Feed Report from the USDA.
The ag trade deficit is narrowing, but export competition remains strong.
The Trump Administration’s new rule limiting CDL renewals for immigrant truckers is seeing mixed reactions in agriculture. While some support the change, it is raising concerns about higher freight costs and impacts on U.S. grain export competitiveness.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) economist Bernt Nelson provides an updated outlook on the current U.S. cattle market.
Farm CPA Paul Neiffer discusses the status of USDA disaster aid, including delays to Stage 2 of the SDRP program, and what farmers should watch for as lawmakers negotiate an end to the government shutdown.
Taryn Fischels, Product Marketing Manager for Precision Upgrades at John Deere, joins us to share a sneak peek of her chat with FarmHER’s Kirbe Schnoor on the Dirt Diaries podcast.
Sen. Roger Marshall explains which types of beef are imported into the United States, how there’s room for new imports, and logical reasons for current high prices.
U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE) discusses the USDA’s new cattle plan, ethanol policy, and the broader challenges ahead for rural America.
Jacob Wheeler and Dustin Connell of Team O’Reilly Auto Parts took an early lead and never let go, finishing atop SCORETRACKER® with 64 pounds, 8 ounces on 42 scorable bass.