President Donald Trump on Wednesday claimed the European Union was created so its countries would gain an advantage over the United States.
"We love the countries of the European Union. But the European Union, of course, was set up to take advantage of the United States, to attack our piggy bank, right? And you know what, we can't let that happen," Trump said at a North Dakota rally, ABC News reported.
A dispute over trade has been escalating between the U.S. and the rest of the world after Trump placed tariffs on steel and aluminum on some countries in March, then the EU at the end of May.
Trump said Wednesday that the U.S. lost $151 billion on trade.
"We send things to them, they say, 'No, thank you, we don't take your product.' That's not the way it works. For all you free traders out there, that's not free trade, that's stupid trade," the president said.
EU trade chief Cecilia Malmstrom said Tuesday that it is not planning on talking trade with the U.S.
"There are no (trade) talks planned… there has to be consequences if you do not respect international global rules," Malmstrom said, Politico reported.
The European Union on June 22 imposed $3.3 billion in retaliatory tariffs on U.S. products.
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