What does Trump want from the EU to back down on tariffs? Canada and Mexico have already passed his leg

Donald Trump has already threatened, for more than once, that he will impose harsh commercial tariffs on the European Union (EU). He did the same with Canada and Mexico and ended up retreating. What can the EU give you not to advance?

After decreing Canada and Mexico, Trump eventually reached with the two US neighboring countries, which allowed suspend the new rates For at least one month.

These agreements were announced as victories of the White House, but were they really? Or it was Trump who backed by a iron arm that would have caused serious economic problems to the USA?

Trump said the, but how many Americans would be to agree with him in the face of worsening his daily difficulties. Many of those who voted for him, did so economic reasonshoping that it will end inflation, among other problems.

Now, a trade war would Shoot food pricesand the US automotive industry could.

And even if Trump insists that he had a “huge” victory at the polls, the truth says the opposite – won the popular vote for only 1.5 percentage points And the majorities of your party in the Senate and the House are small.

“Trump was deceived by Mexico and Canada”

For Stephen Collinson analyst, of course “Trump Pestanejou”Even if one might get something after having demanded Canada and Mexico who reinforced their borders against, and against drug trafficking, in particular.

The president of Claudia Sheinbaum announced the sending of 10,000 Mexican soldiers to the borderbut stressed that this was already being discussed with the US administration itself, and stressed that Trump pledged to strive to Avoid US arms trafficking which usually supplies Mexican drug cartels.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau agreed to name a fentanil “tsar”and in creating a joint border force between the US and Canada, and announced a investment of $ 1.3 billion In helicopters and technology to protect the “parallel 49”, the dividing line between the two countries.

For the commentator of economics and politics, Catherine Rampell, it is evident that “Trump was deceived by Mexico and Canada”since the leaders of both countries “agreed to do what they were already doing – “Only Trump didn’t seem to know anything about it.”

“There is already 50 thousand Mexican troops on the border For years, ”says Rampell, stressing that Canada had already announced last year, which was going to spend $ 1.3 billion on the border.

“There are no real concessions” On the part of Mexico and Canada, concludes the commentator of CNN.

“What matters is looking hard”

But, in fact, what matters with Trump is “Look hard”as Stephen Collinson maintains, considering that with the US president “Nothing is really what it seems“.

The CNN analyst considers that the US president bets on “Crazy Theory” who keeps the opponent in doubt, threatening to be willing to something to defend American interests – is Something similar to what Putin has done with the threat of a nuclear war.

The strategy was also used by Richard Nixon in 1968, Vietnam, when he tried to pass the information that had a finger on the “nuclear button” and that would be willing to “barbarian cruelties”. Only Vietnam never surrendered.

Does Trump really want to “face” the EU?

After the “movie” of tariffs to Canada and Mexico, and the 10% of rates imposed on China, Trump has already threatened the EU. “Will definitely advance with the EU. There is no deadline, but it will be very soon, ”he said.

The president of France, Emmanuel Macronpromised an answer to the height. “If our commercial interests are attacked, Europe, as true power, You will have to be respected And, therefore, react, ”he said.

“Tariffs create unnecessary economic disturbances and drive inflation,” “Harmful to all sides”warned, in turn, a spokesman for the European Commission.

And in this case, the risk to Trump is much higher. “Beat the smallest type of the roomAs Mexico does not impress, ”says British newspaper Diplomacy expert Patrick Wintour. Already “facing China or EU is different,” he adds.

Mexico is far from world power and has a population of over 131 million people. Together with Canada (about 40 million people), we are talking about a market of about 171 million people.

O EU consumer market is around 447 million peopleand the Chinese has over 1.4 billion!

But what does Trump want from Europe?

In the case of Canada and Mexico, Trump used commercial tariffs to claim victories on safety issues related to the fight against drugs and illegal immigration, two of his flags in the start of this second term.

No case from EU, The Question of Security It can also be important, notably in the Arctic. In this context, it can be a “deco” to boost a Increased spending in defense In this area, or to encourage commercial advantages for the US.

Trump also if he did not give in to his claims, and he has also said that he can “buy” Gronelândia, autonomous territory of Denmark.

The US President also stressed that the EU needs to “compensate” its “huge deficit with the United States” through “It buys on a large scale of oil and gas”Americans. “Otherwise, they will be,” he threatened last December.

The US has provided 47% of EU liquefied natural gas importsand 17% of oil imports in the first quarter of 2024, according to Eurostat data.

EU countries that export the most to the US are Ireland, Cyprus and Luxembourg.

As Exports from Portugal to the USA represent only 3.8% of national GDP.

Any Trump rates can cause one, which would leave Portugal in a “very vulnerable” situation, and may even in our country.

“Crazy” strategy can benefit China

However, the consequences of Trump’s threats, especially with regard to trade tariffs to Mexico and Canada, can “It takes years to overcome”highlights Stephen Collinson at CNN.

Even though Trump undermined his own trade agreement Firmed with Mexico and Canada during the first term, which defended as “one of the greatest in the world.”

Thus, it also undermined “Confidence in the word of America And he raised doubts about his ability to close future agreements, ”says Collinson.

With US foreign policy depending on Trump’s “volatile“ character ”, more and more countries can“chinese As the safest and most stable path, ”says the CNN commentator.