Trump says EU was formed to 'screw' US, plans 25% tariffs

US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the European Union was "formed to screw the United States" and that planned tariffs on the bloc will be around 25%. "Let's be honest, the European Union was formed to screw the United States. That's the purpose and they've done it well, but I'm president now," he said at the first cabinet meeting of his second term, which began on January 20.

Trump stressed that his country has a deficit of close to 300 billion dollars with the community bloc. In fact, according to the website of the US Trade and Investment Bureau (USTR), in 2024 the United States registered a trade deficit in goods with the European Union of 235.6 billion dollars. "We have made a decision. We will announce it very soon and it will be 25% in general, for cars and other things," he stressed.

The president criticized the Europeans for not accepting American products: "They don't accept, essentially, our agricultural products. They use all kinds of reasons why not. And we accept all of them and we have a deficit of about 300 billion dollars with the European Union ," he said.

The Republican leader also wanted to make it clear that he "loves" the different European countries . "I suppose I was from there at some point, a long time ago, right? Indirectly. Also quite directly, I suppose. But I love the countries of Europe . I love all the countries, frankly, all different ones," he concluded.

He proposes to postpone tariffs on Mexico and Canada again if they move forward against drug trafficking and migration

Also on the subject of tariffs, US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick said on Wednesday that the Donald Trump administration could again postpone the 25 percent tariffs that the president announced for Canada and Mexico if both neighbors demonstrate progress in the fight against fentanyl trafficking and in border security.

Lutnick said during a US cabinet meeting that Mexico and Canada could avoid imposing tariffs for another season "if they can show the president that they have done an excellent job," to which Trump added that it would be difficult to satisfy, according to the US press.

During the first days of his second term, Trump announced the imposition of 25 percent tariffs on products from Mexico and Canada , although he finally agreed to postpone the entry into force of these economic measures for a month in exchange for guarantees against fentanyl trafficking and the reinforcement of border security.

In fact, although Secretary Lutnick has pointed to a possible new delay in the imposition of tariffs , Trump has wanted to emphasize that he will not back down on the measure, and that he remains committed to the imposition of these measures, justifying them as a response to fentanyl deaths.