WASHINGTON, April 7 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday said selling energy to the European Union would be a key focus as his administration seeks to eliminate a trade deficit with the bloc.

"The European Union's been very bad to us," Trump told reporters at the White House, accusing European nations of not buying enough U.S. goods.

"They're going to have to buy their energy from us, because they need it and they're going to have to buy it from us. They can buy it, we can knock off $350 billion in one week."

(Reporting by Steve Holland and Costas Pitas; Writing by Sarah Morland; Editing by Doina Chiacu)

((sarah.morland@thomsonreuters.com;))