Trump threatens to impose 25% tariffs on all EU goods

Former US President Trump said on February 26 that he was considering imposing tariffs on all EU imports, including cars. Trump said the relevant policy “will be announced soon”, adding that “generally speaking, the tax rate will be 25%.”

Trump said that the United States imports products such as cars from the EU, but said that the EU “does not accept” American-made cars and agricultural products.

Trump did not specify the specific connection between the “reciprocal tariff” policy (i.e. raising US tariffs to the same level as trading partners) and tariffs on the EU.

According to Reuters, a spokesman for the European Commission responded to Trump’s remarks, saying: “(If tariffs are imposed) we will immediately take resolute countermeasures.”

The United States has long been dissatisfied with the EU. Trump not only criticized the gap in auto tariffs (the United States imposes 2.5% on imported cars and the EU imposes 10% on American cars), but also said that the EU’s “digital service tax” on American technology companies is unfair.