Donald Trump calls US a 'very powerful company' before quickly correcting himself

Slip comes during joint press conference as President answers a German reporter's question

Donald Trump during a joint press conference with Angela Merkel (YouTube)

President Donald Trump has called the United States a "very powerful company".

The slip, quickly corrected to "country", came during a joint press conference with German chancellor Angela Merkel.

Mr Trump was defending his stance on global trade following a question from a German reporter, who suggested his "America first" policy could weaken the European Union.

He said that while he was "a free trader" he also wanted "fair trade". He denied he was an "isolationist".

He continued: "We're a very strong, very strong country. We will soon be at a level that we perhaps have never been before.

"Our military is going to be strengthened, it's been depleted.

"But I'm a trader, I'm a free trader, I'm a trader that wants to see good for everybody worldwide."