Trump Announces He’ll Impose Tariffs On The EU: ‘Treated Us So Terribly’

President Donald Trump confirmed Friday that he will “absolutely” impose tariffs on the European Union, citing what he called years of unfair treatment toward the United States in trade negotiations. The announcement comes as the administration prepares to implement tariffs on China, Mexico, and Canada, a major shift in America’s trade strategy under Trump’s leadership.

During a discussion on trade policy, Trump was direct about his intentions. “Am I going to impose tariffs on the European Union? Do you want the truthful answer or should I give you a political answer? Absolutely.

“Absolutely. The European Union has treated us so terribly,” Trump stated, reaffirming his longstanding concerns about the bloc’s trade practices.

For years, Trump has criticized the EU for what he sees as imbalanced trade policies that have disadvantaged American businesses. His administration has argued that European nations impose high tariffs and restrictive regulations on American goods while enjoying relatively open access to U.S. markets.

“I told the European Union that they must make up their tremendous deficit with the United States by the large scale purchase of our oil and gas,” Trump wrote on Truth Social in December. “Otherwise, it is TARIFFS all the way!!!”

The European Commission has announced its readiness to respond if Trump imposes tariffs again. According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the EU exported goods worth $576.3 billion to the U.S. in 2023, which accounts for nearly 20 percent of its total exports, making America its second-largest trading partner.

The EU is a political and economic union of 27 European countries that work together on trade, security, and regulatory matters, established with the goal of promoting economic cooperation, the EU has its own governing institutions, including the European Commission, the European Parliament, and the European Council.

It also maintains a single market that allows for the free movement of goods, services, capital, and people among member states. The EU has long been one of the U.S.’s largest trading partners, though disputes over tariffs and regulations have led to tensions in past years.

The move is expected to escalate already tense trade relations between Washington and Brussels. Trump’s announcement also comes as he moves forward with tariffs targeting China, Mexico, and Canada—part of his broader “America First” economic agenda. His administration has pursued aggressive trade policies aimed at reducing the U.S. trade deficit and reviving domestic manufacturing.

Exactly five years ago Friday, Britain officially left the European Union on January 31, 2020. This marked the end of the Brexit process, which began with the 2016 referendum where 52% of voters chose to leave the EU.

EU trade chief Maroš Šefčovič offered a conciliatory gesture towards Trump on Wednesday, just two days after the U.S. president took office. Speaking to Politico at the World Economic Forum, Šefčovič expressed Brussels’ willingness to engage with the new administration in Washington despite President Trump’s repeated threats of tariffs against the 27-nation bloc.

“We listen very carefully to the messages coming from there, from the White House,” Šefčovič said in his first print interview since assuming his role in December.