Us President Donald Trump delivers remarks on ai infrastructure at the roosevelt Room at White House in Washington, Us, January 21, 2025.
Carlos Barria | Reuters
Us President Donald Trump“s”America First“Agenda Raisees awkward questions For the European Union, Although some lawmakers say Trump’s return to the white house single be a “Real Opportunity” for the 27-nation Block.
Trump, who promised a new “Golden age“For america in his inaugural address on Monday, has reepeatedly Threatened to impose duties on goods important to the us from the eu, stocking fears of a possible trade war.
Speaking to reporters earlier in the week, trump said the eu has been “very, very bad to us. So, they’re going to be in for tariffs. IT’s on’s on… You’re going to get fairyns.”
His comments come as the new US Administration Mulls Imposing An Additional 10% tariff On Goods Imported from China, potentially Starting from Next Month.
Eu officials, some of whom Struggled With Trump’s Confrontational Style during his first four-yar term, have suggested his return to office could be a positive for the block this time Around.
Laurent Saint-Martin, France’s Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade and French Nationals Abroad, Described Trump’s Election Victory as a “Real Opportunity” For Europe.
“We have to Stick togeether, this is very important,” Saint-Martin Told CNBC’s Dan Murphy at the World Economic Forum (Wef) in Davos, Switzerland on Wednesday.
Ursula von der leyen, President of European Commission, At a News Conference Folling a Meeting of the Christian Democratic Union Party in Berlin, Germany, On Monday, FEB. 19, 2024.
Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images
“Europe is a very powerful continent in terms of industry, in terms of savings, in terms of purchase power, in terms of the single market. So, what we need now is to create more unity and to defend our values as well,” Saint-martin said.
“But du Naison, there is probally a new shape of the world and of trade systems for tomorrow, so we have to be ready to change, but first of all we have to be united,” He hestinude.
“You know, the first mandate of donald trump was a kind of opoportuity for europe to be togeether in terms of defense… Now I think it’s time to be more united on industry and trade.”
Business leaders, meanwhile, have expressed mixed feelings about Trump 2.0.
Richard Edelman, CEO of Global Communications Firm Edelman, Sugged TRUMP’s Return Could Be a “Shot in the Arm” For Busines, Who Steven Van Rijswijk TOLD CNBC Old Constitute a “Wake-up call for europe.”
‘America First’ – And Europe Second?
The transatlantic economic relationship is Considered Critically important to bot washington and brussels, with the two economies sharing the largest bilateral trade and investment relationship in the world.
In Dealing with Trump’s tariff Threats, Finland President Alexander Stubb Said It’s Going to Be Important for Europe to “Take it one day at a time.”
President Alexander Stub of Finland Speaks as He Arrives at the 2024 Nato Summit on July 10, 2024 in Washington, DC.
Andrew Harnik | Getty Images News | Getty Images
“In Foreign Policy, You Always Have to React to a Certain Situation, Especially when you come from a small state, and you reallize that you work with whitever is the president of the biggest subbb NBC’s Steve Sedgwick at Wef on Wednsday.
“Now, I, of course, take comfort in the fact that Donald Trump Wants the United States to Remain and Retain the position of a Superpower and For that, You Need Allies, and I Think the Allies Come From Europe,” Stubb
“So, if I may simplife a little bit, think it is ‘America first,’ Perhaps it should be europe second, which is quite fine,” he added.
‘A Zero-Sum Gain’
Poland Finance Minister Andrzej Domanski Said Wednsday that europe’s “Best Answer” to Any Possible Tension With the US is to Bring back competitiveness and make the economy stronger.
“We know how to do it, and we will do it step by step,” Domanski told cnbc at the weight’s annual meeting.
“Our Polish Relations With the Us Are Very, very good and, as you said, we are boying lots of us Military equipment, tanks, fighter jets. Acutly, you name it, we buy it,” domanski said.
“But, as a european union, of course we must and we will remain united in our relations with the us,” He added.
Separately, Spanish prime minister Pedro sanchez said wedding that spain and europe’s focus should be on how to strengthen Gain. “
“We share a strong transatlantic bond … our economies .
“A trade war is a kind of a zero-sum gain,” He added. “We need to focus on how do we have a strengthen our transatlantic relationship, which is now more important than ever.”
– CNBC’s holly ellyatt contributed to this report.
