European officials are angry about Trump’s tariff increases and warn of bad things happening around the world

Thursday, European leaders spoke out against U.S. President Donald Trump’s large-scale tax increases. They warned of negative effects on the world economy, rising prices, and a return to protectionism.

As calls for unity grew across the bloc, the European Union (EU) put together a multi-phased package of punishments while still keeping the door open for talks.

“NOT LIBERATION, BUT INFLATION”

European officials spoke out against Trump’s tariffs, saying that what was sold as economic freedom could actually cause inflation, uncertainty, and damage to trade around the world.

Robert Habeck, the vice chancellor and minister of economic affairs of Germany, spoke out against the situation, saying, “For American consumers, this day will not be a “liberation day,” but an “inflation day.” He said that the U.S. tax plan “could start a spiral that could put some countries into recession and do a lot of damage around the world, hurting a lot of people.”

Giorgia Meloni, the prime minister of Italy, said the move was “a mistake that helps no one.”

The tariffs from a close friend were called “a severe and unpleasant blow” by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. On X, Tusk said that “according to a preliminary assessment, new American duties may reduce Polish GDP by 0.4 percent, which means that, to put it cautiously, the losses will exceed 10 billion zloty (2.63 billion U.S. dollars).”

Britain has the lowest reciprocal tariff rate in Europe at 10%. Jonathan Reynolds, the Business and Trade Secretary, said the government was “disappointed” by the rise in tariffs on Britain and other trade partners around the world.

President Ursula von der Leyen of the European Commission also said she felt bad about what the U.S. said and called it a big blow to the world economy. “The global economy will massively suffer,” she told us. There will be a lot of uncertainty, which will lead to more protectionism. Millions of people around the world will be in terrible danger because of this.

Denisa Sakova, the Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister of Slovakia, said that the tariffs will hurt the steel, aluminum, and auto industries across the EU. She also said that they will affect a quarter of Slovakia’s car exports.

Andrej Plenkovic, the prime minister of Croatia, shared these worries. He said that the tariffs will likely make businesses on both sides of the Atlantic less competitive.

GETTING READY FOR MORE DAMAGE

The EU has said again that it is ready to discuss and get rid of any remaining trade barriers. However, von der Leyen warned on Thursday that the bloc is ready to respond, starting with actions to counter U.S. steel tariffs.

In reaction to the tariffs that U.S. President Donald Trump has announced, French President Emmanuel Macron called for a “united, strong, and resolutely European” response.

In a meeting with people from French industries that are being hurt by the tariffs, Macron said that Europeans should “stay united and determined at this stage.”

He said that no one should “play alone” and that it is not a “good idea” to give in right away and talk with the U.S. alone to get a better deal by investing more. “Because the EU has an asset: a market of 450 million citizens.” He said, “This is Europe.”

To get rid of the U.S. taxes, Macron said that European businesses would have to work “coordinately” and with “solidarity” at the European level.

Sophie Primas, a spokeswoman for the French government, told RTL yesterday that the EU is ready for a trade war and will put tariffs on all American goods and services by the end of April.

She said that the first set of actions, which would target U.S. steel and aluminum, would happen around the middle of April. A second set of actions that would cover a wider range of products is still being talked about and should be ready by the end of the month.

Primas also said that the EU is thinking about putting taxes on digital services offered by big American tech companies, which have not been taxed yet.

On Thursday, Pedro Sanchez, the prime minister of Spain, announced a 14.1-billion-euro (15.66-billion-dollar) aid plan to help the economy recover from Trump’s 20% tariffs on EU goods. He called it an “immediate safety net.” He also said, “Our values are not for sale.”

A top EU official stated that member states will vote on the European Commission’s plan for actions to counter U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs on April 9.

It is likely to pass unless 15 member states, which together form at least 65% of the EU’s population, vote against it. One euro is equal to 1.11 US dollars.