Top EU official to visit Trump next week to talk trade

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - President Donald Trump will host European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker in Washington on July 25, the White House announced Tuesday.

Among topics on the agenda at the White House will be foreign and security policy, economics and counterterrorism, spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said in a statement.

"President Trump and President Juncker will focus on improving transatlantic trade and forging a stronger economic partnership," she said.

The European Commission released a near-identical statement to the version put out by the White House.

The meeting comes amid a growing trade spat initiated by Trump initially over the U.S.'s steel and aluminum imports, but which has grown considerably to include a broader set of goods as Europe retaliated.

Iconic American goods, including Harley-Davidson motorcycles and bourbon whiskey, have since been hit with EU penalties.

Trump has threatened to expand the scope of U.S. levies to include a 20 percent tariff on European cars after kicking off the trade war in June.