Donald Trump’s intention to impose permanent tariffs of up to 70% on around a dozen countries, alongside a new 17% threat on European food and farm produce, suggests a potential new era of global trade conflict. This aggressive stance directly impacts popular European goods like Belgian chocolate and Irish butter, signaling a broad recalibration of US trade policy.
The specific warning for European food tariffs was reportedly delivered to EU trade commissioner Maroš Šefčovič during talks in Washington with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and other officials. This reinforces Trump’s consistent “aggressive negotiating position,” aimed at extracting a high price from trading partners.
Despite the broad-ranging threats, EU trade spokesperson Olof Gill confirmed that the bloc continues to “favour a negotiated solution” and that “progress was made towards an agreement in principle” in recent discussions. However, the EU is also making robust preparations for a potential trade war, with retaliatory duties on various US products, including Bourbon and Boeing 747s, if a deal isn’t reached before Wednesday.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has emphasized the pragmatic goal of a high-level framework deal, acknowledging the limited time for a comprehensive agreement. The EU is also seeking immediate tariff relief for critical sectors, particularly the auto industry, which currently faces a punitive 27.5% US tariff. The impending global tariff deadline and the immediate threat to European food exports are setting the stage for significant international economic shifts.