RT reported that on February 26, US President Donald Trump announced that the European Union (EU) was established to weaken the US and gave a new threat of a 25% tariff on all imports from the bloc.
Speaking at a press conference at the White House, Mr. Trump emphasized that the plan to impose tariffs on imports from the EU will be implemented soon and affirmed that the EU also takes advantage of the US like Canada but in a different way.
President Trump said the tariffs would cover many goods, including cars. According to RT, trade tensions between the US and the EU have escalated after Mr Trump announced plans to impose a series of import tariffs to address what he described as a "trading imbalance".
The US and EU have faced each other in the market during Trump's 2017-2021 term as US President. At that time, Mr. Trump imposed a 25% tariff on steel and a 10% tax on European aluminum.
The EU has since taken several response actions. In total, the two sides have imposed mutual tariffs on goods worth more than 10 billion USD.
Trump has now imposed a 25% tariff on all steel and aluminum imports from the EU, starting on March 4. Trump also directed candidate for the position of Trade Representative and US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick to propose new tariffs for each country before January 1 to rebalance trade.
Since taking office on January 20, President Trump has imposed a 25% tariff on all imports from Mexico and Canada, along with a 10% additional tax on Chinese goods, citing concerns about illegal immigration and drug smuggling.
However, after talks with the leaders of Mexico and Canada, these tariffs were postponed for 30 days after the two countries agreed to strengthen border security.
On the EU side, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned the new US tariffs, expressing deep regret at this decision. In early February, she said that the steel and aluminum tariffs could not be without a response.
On the same day, when asked whether the EU would retaliate commensurate with any US tariffs, Trump said the West could not do so.
