The Blubber

Trump Threatens 25% Tariffs on EU, Claims Bloc Was "Formed to Screw the U.S."

Donald Trump has threatened to impose 25% tariffs on the European Union, claiming the 27-nation bloc was “formed to screw the United States.”

Speaking during his first Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Trump said he would soon release details of the latest tariff plan.

“We have made a decision and we’ll be announcing it very soon. It’ll be 25%,” Trump stated.

Tariffs Targeting U.S. Trading Partners

The EU is the U.S.'s third-largest trading partner, alongside China. Trump has already pledged to slap 25% tariffs on the U.S.’s two largest trading partners, Canada and Mexico, next week.

While Trump did not specify further details, he hinted at car manufacturers, saying the tariffs would be applied “generally” and would cover cars and other products.

“And that’ll be on cars and all other things,” he added.

Trump has previously announced tariffs on major U.S. trade partners, but has repeatedly postponed the levies on Canada and Mexico.

Reactions and Concerns Over Trade War

Earlier this week, Trump defended his tariff threats, stating that foreign cars, drugs, and semiconductor chips would be impacted within weeks.

French President Emmanuel Macron met with Trump in Washington this week and had expressed confidence that he had convinced Trump to shift focus to China instead of launching a trade war with Europe.

“Come on, you cannot have a trade war with China and Europe at the same time. I hope I convinced him,” Macron told Fox News following the meeting.

EU's Potential Response

Reports from Bloomberg estimate that Trump’s tariffs could hit as much as $29.3 billion (€28 billion) of EU exports. The European Commission has pledged to retaliate immediately if the U.S. moves forward with tariffs.

“The EU sees no justification for the imposition of tariffs on its exports. We will react to protect the interests of European businesses, workers, and consumers from unjustified measures,” the Commission stated earlier this month.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk urged the EU to avoid “totally unnecessary and stupid tariff wars.”

Economic Backlash and Criticism

Many economists and financial analysts have warned that Trump’s tariffs could damage the U.S. economy. Even conservative-leaning outlets, such as The Wall Street Journal, have raised concerns about the potential economic fallout.

On Wednesday, Trump took to Truth Social, his social media platform, to attack a Wall Street Journal editorial, which argued that his tariffs on Canada and Mexico could backfire and hurt the U.S. economy.