Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
The president of the United States, Donald Trump, points out the annual Lunch of Friends of Ireland organized by the president of the United States House of Representatives, Mike Johnson (R-LA) in the United States Capitol in Washington, DC, USA. UU., March 12, 2025.
Evelyn Hockstein | Reuters
The president of the United States, Donald Trump, threatened Wednesday to return the reprisal movement of Europe to the rates of 25% of Washington on the imports of steel and aluminum.
As the last tariffs entered into force on Wednesday, the European Union (EU) announced that it would impose Counter-tariffs at 26 billion euros ($ 28.33 billion) for the value of American goods as of April.
Later, Trump said Wednesday that he would respond to the countermeasures with additional encumbrances, telling journalists that the White House “will make reciprocal rates for whatever they charge us, we are accusing them. No one may complain about that.”
When asked if he corresponded to Trump, while he was sitting next to the prime minister of Ireland, Micheál Martin, “Of course I will answer.”
“The problem is that our country did not respond (previously),” he said, repeating an earlier statement that the EU was “established to take advantage of the United States”, which contradicts the declared purpose of the block with more regional interests.
When asked if Ireland was also taking advantage of Washington, Trump replied “Of course they are”, since he lamented the “mass deficit (trade) of the United States” with Ireland that blamed the low corporate tax rates of the island.
Data out of November From the Ireland Statistics Agency, the OSC shows the largest surplus of trade in Ireland goods in 2023 was with the US, with which Dublin had a commercial surplus of 31 billion euros during the period.
The president of the United States, Donald Trump, meets with the Irish Taoiseach (prime minister) Micheal Martin at the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, USA, UU., March 12, 2025.
Evelyn Hockstein | Reuters
Commercial imbalances are one of Trump’s greatest complaints with international business partners. While the president imposed tariffs on Mexico, China and Canada early in his second term, the EU has escaped the specific tasks so far.
However, the block is firmly in the sights, with Trump threatening 25% of the encumbrances and criticizing the EU for commercial imbalances with the states.
European Commission dataThe EU executive arm said that the block had a commercial surplus of 155.8 billion euros with the USA. For goods in 2023, but had a deficit of 104 billion euros in the services. In general, the EU-EE-EE-EU goods and services valued 1.6 billion euros, According to the EU.
Machinery and vehicles constitute most of the EU exports to the USA by product group, followed by chemicals, other manufactured products and medicinal and pharmaceutical products.
The tensions between Washington and Brussels have been slowly since the inauguration of Trump in January, when the White House leader immediately indicated his intention to impose tariffs on the block.
“They have really taken advantage of us,” Trump said at a cabinet meeting on February 26, he added: “They do not accept our cars, they do not essentially accept our agricultural products. They use all kinds of reasons why not. And we accept everything.”
After imposing steel and aluminum tariffs of 25% on Wednesday, which the EU said it will affect up to 26 billion euros in exports of the block to the United States, the president of the European Commission, Ursula Von read him, said that the EU “must act to protect companies and consumers.”
“We deeply regret this measure (by the USA.). Tariffs are taxes, they are bad for business and, worse for consumers, they are interrupting supply chains, they bring uncertainty for the economy, jobs are at stake, prices are up and nobody needs that, none needs that.” He said during a press conference.
The commercial ties between the United States and the EU “are the largest in the world,” said Von der Leyen, adding that the relationship previously brought “prosperity and security to millions of people” and resulted in the creation of employment on both sides of the Atlantic.
The EU two -pointed approach will cause previously suspended tariffs to be imposed at 8 billion euros of US exports, and a series of new countermeasures over 18 billion euros of goods, in a movement that von der Leyen had previously described as “strong but proportional.”
“We will always remain open to negotiation,” She added in a statement.
