• President Donald Trump on Friday said he is “recommending a straight 50% Tariff on the European Union” after complaining that trade negotiations have stalled.

  • The EU “has been very difficult to deal with,” Trump wrote. “Our discussions with them are going nowhere!”

The European Union, which was formed for the primary purpose of taking advantage of the United States on TRADE, has been very difficult to deal with. Their powerful Trade Barriers, Vat Taxes, ridiculous Corporate Penalties, Non-Monetary Trade Barriers, Monetary Manipulations, unfair and unjustified lawsuits against Americans Companies, and more, have led to a Trade Deficit with the U.S. of more than $250,000,000 a year, a number which is totally unacceptable. Our discussions with them are going nowhere! Therefore, I am recommending a straight 50% Tariff on the European Union, starting on June 1, 2025. There is no Tariff if the product is built or manufactured in the United States. Thank you for your attention to this matter!

  • rylock@lemm.ee
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    14 days ago

    Another decision that benefits no one except Russia. Their asset sure is paying off.

  • perestroika@lemm.ee
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    14 days ago

    If he does that, the prices that rise most in the US will be medical products, medicines and motor vehicles.

    The EU does have a trade surplus in goods with the US. The US has a nearly comparable surplus in trade of services.

    If the EU were to respond by taxing US services harshly, we’d experience more expensive licenses and advertising costs. Year of the Linux desktop? Year of the dark red Google?

  • Gutek8134@lemmy.world
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    14 days ago

    America bonks Canada and Mexico saying "Tariff!"
America wants to bonk EU "Ta- What is that?"
EU with an RPG: "Ist meine Trade Enforcement Regulation"
America backs down "I go to China! You are very, very bad! I tariff you soon!"

    IIRC Trade Enforcement Regulation allows, among other options, for ignoring other country’s patents and trademarks until someone else says it’s time to stop. Correct me if I’m wrong.

    Edit: Seems like I misremembered, because I can’t find it mentioned in the regulation 654/2014, my bad

    Edit 2: Okay, I think I’ve found it - 654/2014 was amended by 2021/167, and as far as I understand legalese THAT one allows for suspension of intellectual property rights. I’ll wait with un-stroking the original paragraph until someone more knowledgeable confirms (or denies) my understanding

  • InvertedParallax@lemm.ee
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    13 days ago

    I need to explain to people why this is so amazingly stupid:

    You are literally giving Europe an excuse to put tariffs on American goods and services, which they want to anyway, to encourage domestic producers.

    Also, you’re making it easier for them to buy directly from south Korea, Japan and even China, especially since those countries can’t sell as easily to the US.

    For Europe this is an absolute win/win.

    But honestly, this sounds like a way for Trump to put pressure on Europe to back off on Ukraine, as he probably thinks the EU is reliant on US LNG, which is kind of isn’t really.

  • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
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    14 days ago

    I legitimately don’t understand why what’s left of the free world hasn’t all gotten together and agreed to tarrif America all at the same time.

    Just throw insane tareifs, and let trump sit in it for a couple months while everyone ignores all his phone calls and requests for meetings.

    That would actually work.

    • Bustedknuckles@lemmy.world
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      14 days ago

      Because, as we’re experiencing, tariffs are a regressive tax on your own populace and hurt the most vulnerable. Also, they don’t have to. We’re pissing off enough regular people that they’re voluntarily buying made-anywhere-but-USA. Lastly, why provoke an idiot with a huge military?

      They can and will dismantle American power just by not buying our debt and then supporting a chamge in the world’s reserve currency. Trump is screwing us for generations

        • Bustedknuckles@lemmy.world
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          14 days ago

          I do? I’m saying that there’s no reason for the world to band together and implement tariffs on us. Low volume would be another reason not to, but we do export a non-negligible amount worldwide. Most to NA, but over 300B to EU last year

          • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
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            14 days ago

            Of goods made in other countries that go thru American corporations only as a middle man…

            Tarrif America, companies from those other countries take over being the middle man.

            The middle man can be replaced at a moments notice. It wouldn’t be damaging to any country’s economy, it would be a huge economic boost for them.

            That’s what trump, and you, do t understand.

            America needs the 3rd world to make stuff that we sell to other first world countries.

            But no other economy on the planet needs America.

  • martin4598@lemm.ee
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    13 days ago

    The EU should use the Chinese method:

    The US puts 50% The EU puts 50. The US puts 100 The EU puts 100 Trump says “I´m waiting for them to call me” The EU doesn´t call. Trump says 10%

    Job done in 2 weeks.

  • Bwaz@lemmy.world
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    14 days ago

    Gee, wouldn’t it be a surprise if a stock selloff by administration people had occurred just before this announcement? No one would expect that.

  • ssillyssadass@lemmy.world
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    13 days ago

    He still doesn’t know what a tariff is.

    Also, I appreciate that every picture I see of Trump, even on official news sources, is an unflattering one. They always make sure to catch him with his mouth looking like what it is, that being an asshole.

    • ghostlychonk@lemm.ee
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      13 days ago

      He doesn’t need to know. His supporters hear that corporations and other countries pay and they believe it, despite evidence to the contrary slapping them in their slack-jawed, dull-eyed faces.

    • ikidd@lemmy.world
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      13 days ago

      Well, he doesn’t know what a trade deficit is either, so he’s got that going for him, which is nice.

  • Doomsider@lemmy.world
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    14 days ago

    Oh look, more grifting from the grifter in chief. Turning our government into an outright kleptocracy.

  • NocturnalMorning@lemmy.world
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    14 days ago

    Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution vests the power to lay and collect tariffs with Congress.

    Are we going to just ignore it? Technically tarrifs are supposed to be imposed by an act of congress, not the orange manchild in chief.

    • Jhex@lemmy.world
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      14 days ago

      If by “we” you mean the American people, yes it will be ignored as they seem to fall into 3 categories at the moment:

      • completely clueless to the reality around them

      • know this is bad but waiting for someone else to do the job or really entice them into action with a nice juicy carrot

      • completely in agreement with the orange turd

  • Rakonat@lemmy.world
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    13 days ago

    Dude just wants to crater the US economy, specifically the stock market, and kill what credibility the US has thrived on since WW2. Can’t help but feel Putin has a finger in this cause a weak US makes Russia look stronger.

    • Geobloke@lemm.ee
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      13 days ago

      They could just say they’ll get rid of it and start a sales tax instead.

      But honestly the whole thing is just an excuse anyway