The EU’s notorious red tape needing all 27 nations to agree means it simply can’t keep up with Britain, China and others snapping up fast-track deals with the US.
President Donald Trump has taken a flamethrower to hopes of a cosy trade truce with Brussels – branding the EU “nastier than China” and warning:“We’ve just started with them!”
The US President turned up the heat after sealing a deal with Beijing yesterday, declaring the European Union had treated America “very unfairly”.
He said: “They sell us 13m cars. We sell them none. They sell us their agricultural products. We sell them virtually none. They don’t take our products. That gives us all the cards.
“The European Union is in many ways nastier than China, and we’ve just started with them. Oh, they’ll come down a lot. You watch.”
It comes just days after Brussels threatened a whopping €95bn (£80bn) of tariffs on US goods, but Trump wasn’t fazed. Despite calling EU boss Ursula von der Leyen “fantastic” last week, he’s now doubled down, saying the bloc was built to screw America.
BACK OF THE QUEUE
While Britain and China ink new trade pacts with Washington, Brussels is left twiddling its thumbs and panic is said to be growing in EU boardrooms. Japan and South Korea could also pip Europe to the post with fresh deals, as time runs out on a 90-day US tariff freeze ending in July.
But Trump isn’t playing nice as he operates to get manufacturing back to the US. He has already whacked the EU with a stinging 20% tariff on goods plus a 25% hammer blow on cars and car parts before offering a 90-day reprieve. Now the EU’s praying for a miracle.
TECH CLASH
Brussels’ crackdowns on US tech giants have also ruffled feathers and could scupper any trade breakthrough.
Von der Leyen says she’ll only meet Trump if there’s a “concrete package” on the table – but that looks unlikely as the president piles on the pressure. With Trump gunning for a “zero for zero” tariff deal, Brussels risks getting steamrolled unless it bends, fast.
If no deal is struck, the EU is pretending it will hit back hard, slapping tariffs on everything from aircraft to seafood. And it might even deploy its “anti-coercion weapon” a legal nuke designed for use on China against the US banking and tech sector say insiders. But with deals with Britain and China already in the bag, it is clear Trump is holding the winning hand and the EU will be forced to fold.
“Brussels is puffing out its chest, but it’s bringing a butter knife to a gunfight,” said one insider. “Trump’s already bagged deals with Britain and China… the EU’s bluff will be called, and they’ll fold faster than a deckchair in Benidorm. Just you watch.”
EU IN A SPIN
With Trump’s frosty stance on the EU, European leaders are scrambling for face-time. France’s Macron, Germany’s Merz, Ireland’s Martin and Italy’s Meloni have all launched charm offensives, but Trump’s not buying it.
He’s still bitter over German defence “freeloaders” and Ireland’s cosy deals with US tech firms.
Plus, the EU’s notorious red tape needing all 27 nations to agree means it simply can’t keep up with Britain, China and others snapping up fast-track deals.
Still, with 460 million consumers in its corner, the EU isn’t out for the count yet.
But make no mistake – Trump’s trade war is far from over. And for Brussels, the gloves are well and truly off.
Game.. set and match LEAVE