Should Donald Trump be re-elected as US President in November, he is set to confront the European Union, according to insiders speaking to Bloomberg.
Global nerves are fraying over the prospect of Trump’s potential second term. Insiders have warned that the President’s approach will be more strategic and less erratic than in his first term, but this does not imply a more moderate demeanour.
Confidential discussions reveal plans for Trump’s trade policy. He is apparently keen to express frustrations with the EU by implementing a general import tariff of 10% on European products, similar to goods from China.
Relations between the US and EU were already strained during Trump’s first term following American tariffs imposed on European steel and aluminium; a dispute that remains unsettled.
The former US President is reportedly displeased with Europe’s lack of assertive policy towards China, such as its import tariffs and restrictions on Chinese strategic investments. His broader aim is to boost trade in American products.
"Trump uses trade and tariffs as a negotiation tactic to make countries act in the interest of the US," explains his economic adviser Stephen Moore.
According to a spokesperson, the former President "has made it clear that he will use every tool at his disposal to protect American workers." He will not allow other nations to "steal our jobs or destroy our industries," they said.
He is even considering banning TikTok and barring the import of Chinese electric vehicles, even if assembled in other countries, like those in Europe.
In relation to the EU specifically, Trump has plans to shield American companies from European tax rules for the digital economy. Companies such as Alphabet, Meta, Microsoft, Amazon, Apple, and Netflix are viewed as quintessentially American businesses that must be protected at all costs.
