U.S. President Donald Trump dismissed the European Union’s latest ‘zero for zero’ trade proposal on Monday, rejecting the bloc’s call for a bilateral tariff exemption on industrial goods, including automobiles. Speaking at the White House, Trump criticized the EU’s trade policies, insisting they do not adequately address the transatlantic trade deficit.
“The European Union has been very, very bad to us,” Trump told reporters. “They don’t take our cars, like Japan in that sense. They don’t take our agricultural product. They don’t take anything practically.”
Trump doubles down on tariffs
Trump’s comments follow his administration’s recent decision to impose a 20% tariff on European goods, a key move in his broader protectionist strategy. The new tariffs are set to take effect on April 9, escalating tensions between Washington and Brussels.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had announced the EU’s “zero for zero” proposal earlier Monday, offering to eliminate tariffs on industrial products in an effort to ease trade tensions.
“We have proposed zero tariffs on industrial products… Europe is always ready to strike a good deal with the United States,” von der Leyen stated at a press conference in Brussels. However, she also cautioned that the EU would take retaliatory measures if necessary. “We are also ready to respond with countermeasures and defend our interests,” she warned.
Trump demands EU energy purchases
Trump further argued that the U.S.-EU trade deficit would shrink if European nations committed to purchasing American energy, suggesting such an agreement could justify lifting tariffs.
“They have to buy and commit to buy a like amount of energy (to this trade deficit),” Trump said, without specifying whether such a commitment would lead to a tariff rollback.
He suggested that a deal worth $350 billion would be necessary to eliminate the trade imbalance. However, according to the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office, the actual U.S. goods trade deficit with the EU in 2024 was $235.6 billion—significantly lower than the figure cited by Trump.
Tensions mount ahead of tariff implementation
With the April 9 tariff deadline approaching, trade tensions between the U.S. and EU are set to escalate further. While Brussels has signaled its willingness to negotiate, Trump’s rejection of the EU’s proposal underscores his administration’s hardline stance on global trade.
As both sides prepare for a potential trade showdown, the economic implications of Trump’s tariffs and the EU’s possible countermeasures remain to be seen.