World / Americas Donald Trump warns WTO he plans to ‘do something’ if the US is not treated properly The president says the World Trade Organisation has treated ‘the US very, very badly and I hope they change their ways’ BL PREMIUM

Washington/Brussels/Mexico City — US President Donald Trump warned the World Trade Organisation (WTO) on Monday that "we’ll be doing something" if the US is not treated properly, just hours after the EU said that US automotive tariffs would hurt its own vehicle industry and prompt retaliation. Trump, speaking to reporters during a meeting with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte at the White House, said, "The WTO has treated the US very, very badly and I hope they change their ways." His comments came after the Axios news website reported that Trump’s administration had drafted proposed legislation that would allow Trump to raise tariffs at will and negotiate special tariff rates with specific countries — two basic violations of WTO rules. The US has "a big disadvantage with the WTO. And we’re not planning anything now, but if they don’t treat us properly, we’ll be doing something," Trump said, without elaborating. Last week, a source familiar with Trump’s thinking told Reuters that the...