WASHINGTON, 3 FEB

US President Donald Trump has threatened to widen the scope of his trade tariffs, repeating his warning that the European Union – and potentially the UK – will face levies, even as he conceded that Americans could bear some of the economic brunt of a nascent global trade war, The Guardian reported on Monday.

Trump also said he will cut all funding to South Africa and has launched an investigation into the country's polices, claiming a “massive" human rights violation is happening over a new land expropriation law.

“It will definitely happen with the European Union, I can tell you that,” he said. “I wouldn’t say there’s a timeline but it’s going to be pretty soon.”

Trump appeared to take a softer line on the UK, citing a good relationship with the Prime Minister Keir Starmer, while saying tariffs still “might happen”.

“The UK is out of line but I’m sure that one, I think that one can be worked out,” he said. “Well, Prime Minister Starmer’s been very nice, we’ve had a couple of meetings, we’ve had numerous phone calls, we’re getting along very well, we’ll see whether or not we can balance out our budget.”

After Canada, Mexico, and China, US President Donald Trump has hinted that the European Union (EU) would soon be his next “tariff" target. He said he’d “definitely" slap tariffs on the EU “very soon".

The US President was more decisive about the EU. “They’ve really taken advantage of us and we are at over a $300B deficit," he said.

The EU has responded, saying that it will “respond firmly" if Trump enacts tariffs that could affect its member countries.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday asked Panamanian leader Jose Raul Mulino to immediately reduce what President Donald Trump says is Chinese influence over the Panama Canal area or face potential retaliation from the United States.

Mulino told reporters after the meeting that Rubio made “no real threat of retaking the canal or the use of force.”

China has also reiterated its threat to take “necessary countermeasures to defend its legitimate rights and interests” following Trump's decision to impose 10 per cent tariffs on imports from the country.