The Factors Behind Trump’s Long-Standing Frustration With EU

‘There are 27 member states, and each of them has a different set of trade priorities,’ former Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said.

&

6/3/2025|Updated: 6/8/2025

WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump’s recent threat to impose a 50 percent tariff on the European Union (EU) starting July 9 has spurred Brussels into action, with EU officials rushing to schedule meetings with U.S. counterparts ahead of the looming deadline.

While it remains uncertain whether the talks will yield substantial progress in narrowing the U.S. trade deficit or removing long-standing barriers to U.S. exports, some observers believe that the EU is negotiating from a position of weakness and may be more willing to make concessions this time.