Summary
Donald Trump has announced plans to impose 25% tariffs on the European Union, claiming the bloc was “formed to screw the United States.”
While details are pending, he suggested the levies would target cars and other imports. The EU, a major U.S. trading partner, has vowed immediate retaliation, with potential tariffs impacting $29.3 billion in exports.
French President Emmanuel Macron had attempted to dissuade Trump, urging focus on China instead.
Critics, including economists and conservative media, warn the tariffs could harm the U.S. economy.
The EU has an official mechanism to combat economic pressure like this that includes suspension of all intellectual property from the country imposing the tarrifs.
Trump is kinda right. Charles De Gaulle wanted a united Europe to prevent Anglo-American influence. Aside from his Anglophobia, he vetoed UK joining then EEC because he thought UK is a Trojan horse for American influence into Europe. He also thought that the British are reluctant Europeans anyhow, so why let them in?
Fast forward 60 years later, and De Gaulle was found right. US companies tried to lobby the EU through UK. The Brits voted for Brexit, and the US finally became an unreliable ally.
For so much of the French being chauvinistic in a cringey way, they are right not to commit to Anglo influence or Atlanticism, presciently. The French still likes to assert their own global influence but in multilateral way with other countries. Macron and De Gaulle are correct for looking for strategic autonomy.
Edit: I also want to add, that the Brussels effect forces other countries to adopt higher standards and regulations if they want to trade with the EU. Obviously, many right wing Americans such as Trump don’t like this.
I know it’s a whine, but roughly a quarter of the country voted for Brexit.
Remember that when you bag on Americans for putting Trump in office.
I haven’t done that for this exact reason.
I wouldn’t shut up about how Brexit was dumb as fuck either.
Russia’s just been killing it with their disinformation campaigns the past 10 years. The UK exited the EU and now they’ve captured the US government. Sucks!
Would love to be in the guy’s head for just 5 minutes, to see if he’s high or crazy or what.
Multiple different personality disorders combined with just being an asshole, I’m thinking.
Multiple would make sense, but seems like just one personality🤪👀
Multiple disorders, not personalities.
yeah american tourists are going to have a hard time in the next 50 years.
Inb4 EU and Canada signs a great trade deal just to screw over Trump.
Can someone explain to me why this is worse than Europes VAT tax?
According to an International Monetary Fund (IMF) study, any nation that switches to VAT initially feels the negative impact of reduced tax revenues. In the long run, however, the study concluded that VAT adoption has in the majority of cases increased government revenue and proved effective.
It seems to be proven quite effective, and Europe still has them, so why is Trumps worse/better than a VAT?
