America’s foreign policy of coercion must end

AI Summary

The article argues that Washington uses coercive trade threats against allies seeking closer ties, citing President Donald Trump’s warning of tariffs or a trade cutoff if the EU deepens its relationship with Canada. It frames the episode as an example of US foreign policy pressure on partners.

If you want to understand how Washington exercises power in the world, watch what it does when its closest allies try to deepen ties with each other. When EU chief Ursula von der Leyen proposed making Canada the European Union’s first-ever “associate member”, US President Donald Trump’s response was swift and blunt: “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 called the idea “laughable” and Canada –...