U.S. President Donald Trump said Sunday he would “definitely” impose tariffs on goods coming from the European Union — and described the bloc’s actions as “an atrocity.”
Responding to a question on whether he plans to slap tariffs on products coming from the U.K., Trump pivoted to hammering Brussels: “It might happen with that, but it will definitely happen with the European Union. I can tell you that, because they’ve really taken advantage, you know, we have over $300 billion deficit.”
There is no evidence that the current U.S. trade deficit with the EU exceeds $300 billion. In 2023, the U.S. goods trade deficit with the bloc was €155.8 billion, according to EU data.
Trump said: “The U.K. is out of line but … I think that one can be worked out. But the European Union, it’s an atrocity what they’ve done,” then added, “So the U.K. is way out of line … but European Union is really out of line.”
A global trade war is imminent after Trump took action over the weekend to strike neighbors, allies and rivals with tariffs, triggering vociferous criticism from around the world.
On Friday evening, Trump vowed to “absolutely” impose tariffs on EU goods as he claimed the bloc had treated the U.S. “so terribly” — as he officially whacked Canada, Mexico and China with steep tariffs.
A European Commission spokesperson said Sunday that the EU “would respond firmly” if Trump “unfairly or arbitrarily imposes tariffs on EU goods.”
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