North America

Trump imposes massive tariffs: Europe and Asia in the crosshairs

- 8:18 am
Donald Trump, symbole du populisme (Wikipedia)

Donald Trump, symbole du populisme (Wikipedia)

The American president has just announced a considerable increase in customs duties on imports, causing concern among his trading partners. The European Union is already preparing its response.

Donald Trump has unveiled his plan for an “economic declaration of independence” for the United States, imposing unprecedented tariffs on foreign products. Chinese imports will be taxed at 34%, those from the European Union at 20%, and those from Vietnam at 46%. These measures will come into force in two stages: on April 5 for general duties of at least 10% on all imports, then on April 9 for surcharges specifically targeting China and the EU.

Europe worries and prepares its counter-offensive

European leaders were quick to react to this announcement. Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described the tariffs as a “bad measure”, while calling for the avoidance of a trade war that would “inevitably weaken the West”. Irish Prime Minister Michael Martin “deeply regretted” the decision and called for a “proportionate” reaction from the 27.

The European Union has no intention of standing idly by. An initial response is planned for mid-April, concerning the duties already imposed on steel and aluminum. A second, more targeted wave of measures should be announced before the end of April, following a detailed sector-by-sector analysis.

A controversial economic vision

Donald Trump justifies his policy by the desire to reindustrialize the United States, rebalance the trade balance and reduce the budget deficit. During his speech, he accused Europeans of being “very tough” on the United States, declaring, “You think they’re friendly, but in fact they’re ripping us off terribly.”

This view is disputed by many economists, who fear a rise in inflation penalizing American consumers. Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank, warned that such measures would be good “neither for those who impose tariffs nor for those who retaliate”.

Automobiles already in the firing line

The automotive sector had already been targeted on March 26, with the announcement of 25% additional tariffs on “all cars not manufactured in the United States”. These taxes, which will mainly affect Mexico, Japan, Canada and Germany, come into force on April 2.

These decisions are part of the American president’s stated desire to establish what he calls a system of “reciprocal” customs duties: “Everything they do for us, we’ll do for them”, he summarized.

North America,