Counter-Tariffs? Trump threatens to reciprocate to EU revenge

US President Donald Trump threatened on Wednesday that he would return to his own retaliation European transition to 25% of Washington tariffs to steel and aluminum imports.

As the last tariffs came into force on Wednesday, the European Union (EU) announced that it would impose Counter-Tariffs on € 26 billion ($ 28.33 billion) Valuable US goods from the beginning of April.

Trump later said on Wednesday that he would respond to the additional levies, telling reporters that the White House “would” do reciprocal tariffs, so whatever you charge us, we charged them. No one can complain about it. “

Asked if he would return, Trump said, while sitting with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin, “Of course I’ll answer.”

“The problem is that our country did not answer [previously]”He said, repeating the earlier claim that the EU” was set to use the United States ” – which is contrary to the above purpose of the block further regional interests.

Asked if Ireland also used Washington, Trump replied “Of course they are” while he was massive ” [trade] Deficit “with Ireland for which he blamed the low income tax rates.

Data in November The Irish Statistics Agency, OCD, shows that the largest excess of goods trade in Ireland in 2023 was with the US, with which Dublin had a trade excess of 31 billion euros during this period.

Commercial imbalance is one of Trump’s biggest gatherings with international trade partners. While the president imposed Tariff Mexico, China and Canada early in his second term in power, the EU has so far avoided targeted duties.

The block is firmly in its sights, however, Trump threatened 25% of the levy and expelled the EU due to a trade imbalance with the states.

European Commission dataEU executive hand, she said that the block had a trade excess of EUR 155.8 billion with the USA for the 2023 goods, but launched a deficit of 104 billion euros to services. Overall, trade of goods and services in the US in 2023 was worth 1.6 trillion euros, According to the EU.

Machines and vehicles make up the largest piece of EU exports to the USA groups of products, followed by chemicals, other goods produced and medicinal and pharmaceutical products.

The tensions between Washington and Brussels are fluttering from Trump’s inauguration in January, when the White House leader immediately signaled his intention to impose tariffs on the block.

“They really used us,” Trump said at a cabinet meeting on February 26, adding: “They do not accept our cars, they do not accept, in essence, our agricultural products. They use all kinds of reasons why not. And we accept all of them.”

After imposing 25% of steel and aluminum tariffs on Wednesday, for which the EU said it would affect up to 26 billion euros in a block export to the US, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU “must operate for companies and consumer”.

“We deeply regret this measure [by the U.S.]. Tariffs are taxes, they are bad for business and worse for consumers, they interfere with the supply chains, bring uncertainty to the economy, jobs are at stake, prices have increased and no one needs, none of the sides need, ” She said during a press conference.

Trade connections between the US -Ai EU “are the largest in the world,” Von der Leyen said, adding that the relationship had previously brought “prosperity and security to millions of people” and resulted in job creation on both sides of the Atlantic.

The EU double approach will be seen again to be re-imposed on 8 billion euros in US exports, and a number of new countermeasures at EUR 18 billion on the Von der Leyen movement has previously described as “strong but proportional.”

“We will always stay open to negotiations,” She added in a statement.