The United States ‘ President Donald Trump claimed that the 27-nation bloc was trying to get the United States, but the European Union responded by retaliating on Thursday with a strong warning that it would vigorously protest any 25 % wholesale tariffs on EU goods.
The trans-Atlantic gap that was already exacerbated by Trump’s warnings that Washington would lose safety guarantees for its Western allies was further exacerbated by the tit-for-tat debate following the comments of Trump, which were directed at an age-old alliance and its major postwar economic companion.
Trump claimed that the European Union was created to “screw the United States,” and that the EU was responding on Thursday. That’s the purpose of it, and they’ve done a great work of it”, adding that it would stop instantly under his administration.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk of Poland, which holds the EU’s rotating president, went on a battle.
” The EU wasn’t formed to lock anyone”, Tusk said in an X blog. ” Quite the opposite. It was formed to preserve peace, to build value among our nations, to generate free and fair industry, and to improve our transatlantic connection. As easy as that”.
Roberta Metsola, president of the European Parliament, stated in a statement to an audience at Johns Hopkins University on Thursday that” we are not out to screw anyone,” adding that” we should be pulling ourselves up together rather than the opposite.”
And Pedro Sanchez, the excellent minister of Spain, sparked a fiery climax to the discussion.
When our markets are tarnished by tariffs that are veiled threats to our monetary autonomy, we will fight for our interests.
” We are committed and ready to do therefore,” he declared in northern Spain.
The EU also warned that the moment that taxes are announced, it may cause strong measures on classic U. S. industries like whiskey, jeans and motorcycles.
” We have been working for months, and we are going to take actions that are appropriate for the challenge,” Sanchez said.
If tariffs are announced, the EU will fight back, according to Metsola.
” We are very ready for anything. So allow me to be clear: The EU will react firmly and immediately,” she said”. We don’t want to go down that road- let me be clear- but we are ready.”
Trump claimed late on Wednesday that the US was just as prepared for a standoff.
” We are the pot of gold. We’re the one that everybody wants. And they can retaliate. But it cannot be a successful retaliation, because we just go cold turkey. We don’t buy any more. And if that happens, we win.”
According to the EU, approximately 1.5 trillion worth of trade is accounted for by both countries, accounting for about 30 % of global trade. Trump has voiced concerns about a trade deficit, but the EU claims that the surplus in goods exports by the United States is partially offset by the trade deficit.
The EU says that trade in goods reached 851 billion euros ($ 878 billion ) in 2023, with a trade surplus of 156 billion euros ($ 161 billion ) for the EU. Trade in services was worth 688 billion euros ($ 710 billion ) with a trade deficit of 104 billion euros ($ 107 billion ) for the EU.
According to the EU, a trade war was still necessary because the numbers are so large.
” We should be talking about trade agreements rather than tariffs,” Metsola said.
