EU Prepares for Trade Conflict with Trump, Reports Politico
According to Politico, the EU is preparing for a significant trade war with Donald Trump should he reclaim the presidency. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Officials in Brussels have indicated they’re prepared to “hit back hard” if the Republican targets the bloc with punitive measures during a second term.
The European Union is on alert for a substantial trade conflict with Donald Trump if he wins the US presidential election in November and imposes new trade barriers against Europe, PMG reported on Monday, citing high-ranking diplomats and EU officials.
There is increasing concern in EU capitals as the former president has committed to introducing a range of punitive trade measures aimed at correcting what he describes as serious disparities in imports and exports.
The tension between Washington and Brussels has been ongoing since Trump introduced 25% tariffs on European steel and 10% on aluminum during his first term in 2018, claiming that EU competition was jeopardizing US national security.
In response, the EU enacted duties on products including Harley-Davidson motorcycles and Levi Strauss jeans. Trump escalated the situation further by threatening to impose tariffs on EU car exports. Although those duties never came into effect, Brussels “was shocked” by Trump's readiness to disrupt supply chains.
“Last time we didn’t believe how far Trump would actually go,” one diplomat remarked to PMG. “This time we’ve had time to prepare. Europe has changed a lot, and we will be ready to act.”
Trump has indicated that if he returns to office, he might also implement counter-measures against EU digital services taxes that target US tech companies.
“Our allies have taken advantage of us. More so than our enemies,” Trump stated last week in an interview with Bloomberg News Editor-in-Chief John Micklethwait. “Our allies are the European Union. We have a trade deficit of $300 billion with the European Union.”
The EU is conducting a coordinated impact assessment in anticipation of a potential Trump victory, with the European Commission leading the effort. The bloc is resolute in its intention to retaliate and “hit back hard,” according to one diplomat. A second diplomat expressed confidence that the EU could “win this trade war.”
The report suggests that the EU should respond vigorously, as Trump often utilizes trade and tariffs as a negotiating strategy to compel countries to align with US interests.
At his rallies, Trump has emphasized a 10% base tariff on imports from other nations. “To me, the most beautiful word in the dictionary is ‘tariffs’,” he proclaimed. “It’s my favorite word.”
He also targeted German automobile manufacturers last week, promising to impose high tariffs on imported cars. According to Trump, such levies on EU industries would compel manufacturers in the bloc to relocate their factories to the US, thereby enhancing its long-term global manufacturing competitiveness.
Ramin Sohrabi contributed to this report for TROIB News
The European Union is on alert for a substantial trade conflict with Donald Trump if he wins the US presidential election in November and imposes new trade barriers against Europe, PMG reported on Monday, citing high-ranking diplomats and EU officials.
There is increasing concern in EU capitals as the former president has committed to introducing a range of punitive trade measures aimed at correcting what he describes as serious disparities in imports and exports.
The tension between Washington and Brussels has been ongoing since Trump introduced 25% tariffs on European steel and 10% on aluminum during his first term in 2018, claiming that EU competition was jeopardizing US national security.
In response, the EU enacted duties on products including Harley-Davidson motorcycles and Levi Strauss jeans. Trump escalated the situation further by threatening to impose tariffs on EU car exports. Although those duties never came into effect, Brussels “was shocked” by Trump's readiness to disrupt supply chains.
“Last time we didn’t believe how far Trump would actually go,” one diplomat remarked to PMG. “This time we’ve had time to prepare. Europe has changed a lot, and we will be ready to act.”
Trump has indicated that if he returns to office, he might also implement counter-measures against EU digital services taxes that target US tech companies.
“Our allies have taken advantage of us. More so than our enemies,” Trump stated last week in an interview with Bloomberg News Editor-in-Chief John Micklethwait. “Our allies are the European Union. We have a trade deficit of $300 billion with the European Union.”
The EU is conducting a coordinated impact assessment in anticipation of a potential Trump victory, with the European Commission leading the effort. The bloc is resolute in its intention to retaliate and “hit back hard,” according to one diplomat. A second diplomat expressed confidence that the EU could “win this trade war.”
The report suggests that the EU should respond vigorously, as Trump often utilizes trade and tariffs as a negotiating strategy to compel countries to align with US interests.
At his rallies, Trump has emphasized a 10% base tariff on imports from other nations. “To me, the most beautiful word in the dictionary is ‘tariffs’,” he proclaimed. “It’s my favorite word.”
He also targeted German automobile manufacturers last week, promising to impose high tariffs on imported cars. According to Trump, such levies on EU industries would compel manufacturers in the bloc to relocate their factories to the US, thereby enhancing its long-term global manufacturing competitiveness.
Ramin Sohrabi contributed to this report for TROIB News
