Trump had some very strong words.
President Trump didn’t hold back his criticism of the European Union on Thursday, calling the bloc “nasty” during a meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. Trump’s frustration centered around unfair trade practices that he believes are harming American industries and workers.
The president pointed out the stark imbalance in trade between the United States and Europe, particularly in the auto and agricultural sectors. “We sell almost no cars to Europe, while they sell millions of cars to us,” Trump remarked. He also noted that Europe doesn’t take American agricultural products, but in return, the U.S. imports European agriculture. “It’s a one-way street with them,” Trump said. His frustration is grounded in the fact that Europe’s trade policies disproportionately benefit their industries while disadvantaging American businesses.
Trump also criticized the European Union’s aggressive legal actions against U.S. tech giants, like Apple and Google. He highlighted the significant fines imposed on these companies, calling out the EU’s actions as a form of legal overreach. “Apple was forced to pay $16 billion for something that should never have been a case,” Trump said, echoing his belief that European regulators are unfairly targeting American companies. He further pointed to other legal battles faced by Google and Facebook as part of a broader trend of the EU suing U.S. companies and siphoning money out of the American economy.
Trump’s stance on trade with Europe has been increasingly aggressive. Earlier, he threatened to impose a 200% tariff on wine, Champagne, and other European alcohol unless the EU removes its tariff on American whiskey. This move comes after the EU retaliated against Trump’s 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum, signaling an escalating trade conflict between the U.S. and the European bloc.
As tensions rise, the European Union is preparing new countermeasures that could target $28 billion in U.S. imports. With trade relations in turmoil, it’s clear that President Trump is determined to protect American interests and take a hard stance against what he sees as unfair treatment by Europe.