Trump calls for 50% tariff on EU, says he's 'not looking for a deal' with bloc
www.cnbc.com
President Donald Trump believes European Union proposals have not matched those from other trading partners, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said.

  • President Donald Trump on Friday said he is “recommending a straight 50% Tariff on the European Union” after complaining that trade negotiations have stalled.

  • The EU “has been very difficult to deal with,” Trump wrote. “Our discussions with them are going nowhere!”

The European Union, which was formed for the primary purpose of taking advantage of the United States on TRADE, has been very difficult to deal with. Their powerful Trade Barriers, Vat Taxes, ridiculous Corporate Penalties, Non-Monetary Trade Barriers, Monetary Manipulations, unfair and unjustified lawsuits against Americans Companies, and more, have led to a Trade Deficit with the U.S. of more than $250,000,000 a year, a number which is totally unacceptable. Our discussions with them are going nowhere! Therefore, I am recommending a straight 50% Tariff on the European Union, starting on June 1, 2025. There is no Tariff if the product is built or manufactured in the United States. Thank you for your attention to this matter!

  • TheFrirish@jlai.luEnglish
    24·
    22 hours ago

    The fact that we the EU are still trying to negotiate with the US is pathetic. We should not be entertaining this clique.

    • Gsus4@mander.xyzEnglish
      91·
      22 hours ago

      Allies on paper, EU can’t simply tell tramp to go fuck himself like China can, for now.

      • TheFrirish@jlai.luEnglish
        3·
        18 hours ago

        Good point but why do they get to tell us to go fuck ourselves then? We are also their allies on paper.

        • Gsus4@mander.xyzEnglish
          4·
          12 hours ago

          Well, the alliance was not symmetric to start with, the US used to call the shots and the EU would follow if it wasn’t a stupid decision or sit on its hands otherwise. russia’s invasion and the US’s passivity is challenging that.

          • 3abas@lemm.eeEnglish
            15·
            12 hours ago

            russia’s invasion and the US’s passivity is challenging that.

            Passivity? As in the US should do more than use Ukraine as a proxy, but should get involved in a war with Russia to defend Ukraine?

            • Gsus4@mander.xyzEnglish
              5·
              12 hours ago

              All I’m saying is that Ukraine finally made strikingly clear that in the current configuration Europe is the junior partner in NATO and that Europe needs to have its own means in the future to defend its own interests (during the cold war, those interests were always aligned, so it was never a problem). But once that happens, Europe won’t remain the junior partner anymore.

            • barsoap@lemm.eeEnglish
              2·
              11 hours ago

              As a lemm.ee user, you should be perfectly aware that if Ukraine is anyone’s proxy, then of Estonia: Ukraine is following Estonian doctrine on how to deal with Russia to a t.