Donald Trump has threatened to slap 25% tariffs on the European Union, claiming the 27-country bloc was “formed to screw the United States”.
Speaking at his first cabinet meeting on Wednesday, the US president said he would soon release details of the latest tariff threat. “We have made a decision and we’ll be announcing it very soon. It’ll be 25%,” he said.
Returning to his regular talking point that the US is treated unfairly in trade, Trump claimed that the 27-member union does not accept US cars and farm products while the US takes “everything from them”.
The US also imposes a 25 percent tariff on imported pick-up trucks.
“Look, let’s be honest, the European Union was formed to screw the United States,” Trump said.
“That’s the purpose of it, and they’ve done a good job of it. But now I’m president.”
Trump’s comments drew a swift response from the European Commission, the bloc’s executive arm, which said the world’s largest single market area had been “a boon” for the US.
The EU currently imposes a 10 percent tariff on US vehicle imports, which is four times the US tariff on European passenger car imports.
The EU vowed to respond “firmly and immediately” to “unjustified” trade barriers, signaling that it stands ready to retaliate swiftly against new tariffs.
The bloc is the US’s third largest trading partner alongside China. Trump has said he will impose 25% tariffs on the US’s two largest trading partners, Canada and Mexico, next week.
A European Commission spokesperson said: “The EU will react firmly and immediately against unjustified barriers to free and fair trade, including when tariffs are used to challenge legal and non-discriminatory policies. The EU will always protect European businesses, workers and consumers from unjustified tariffs.”
