Washington, Brussels – (AFP)
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that Washington will soon impose a 25% tariff on European products, criticizing the European Union.
During the first meeting of his administration, Trump stated that the EU was established to harm the U.S. He said, “Let’s be frank, the European Union was created to disadvantage the United States.“
In response to a question about whether he had made a decision regarding the tariff rate to be imposed on the European Union, Trump stated, “We have made the decision, and we will announce it soon; it will be 25%,” the same rate that will be imposed on products from Mexico and Canada starting in early April.
He explained that these tariffs would target products including cars, noting that the European Union “has already taken advantage of us.”
Trump threatened to impose tariffs on U.S. trading partners to address “unfair and unbalanced” trade practices.
It is worth mentioning that the European Union currently imposes a 10% tariff on cars, which is four times the U.S. tariff of 2.5%. Additionally, U.S. officials have expressed their displeasure with European value-added taxes, which are no less than 17.5%.
Since taking office in January, Trump has announced tariffs on Canada and Mexico, the U.S. neighbors, due to illegal immigration and fentanyl trafficking. He then announced a suspension of these tariffs until April.
When asked about this, Trump stated that he would not halt the imposition of tariffs, adding that he plans to do so on April 2.
He said, “Tariffs will be imposed, not all of them, but a significant portion.“
In response, the European Commission reacted to U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday, stating that the European Union has been a “blessing” for the United States.
European Commission’s Response to Trump’s Tariff Threats
A spokesperson for the European Commission stated in a release, “The European Union is the largest free trade market in the world. It has been a blessing for the United States.” The spokesperson also warned that the EU would respond in a “firm and immediate” manner to any tariffs, referencing the new threats from the U.S. president.
