For the first time since former U.S. President Donald Trump initiated his sweeping global tariff campaign last month, a member of his administration has publicly signaled optimism about the possibility of a favorable trade deal between the United States and the European Union.
Speaking on the issue, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized a shared goal in the transatlantic talks, stating, “What unites us is that, at the end, we want to have a good deal for both sides.”
Currently, the Trump administration has imposed a 10 percent tariff on all imports, along with additional 25 percent duties on specific products such as steel, aluminum, vehicles, and auto parts — measures that impact the EU along with other regions. Another potential 10 percent U.S. tariff on European imports has been temporarily suspended until early July.
However, it wasn’t until late last week — nearly halfway through the pause — that the U.S. formally outlined its objectives for negotiations to Brussels, according to a report first revealed by POLITICO.
Von der Leyen acknowledged the belated progress, pointing out that “now that we have exchanged papers, it is important that our experts dive deep into the details and begin serious discussions.”
Despite these talks, President Trump has made several inflammatory and unsubstantiated remarks about the EU — including claims that the bloc was created to “screw” the United States — and has called it “nastier than China.” Meanwhile, his administration frequently downplays the substantial U.S. trade surplus in services with the EU, which largely offsets the larger volume of European goods entering the American market.
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