US President Donald Trump delivers remarks on artificial intelligence infrastructure in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, US, January 21, 2025.
Carlos Barea | Reuters
American President Donald Trump“America first“It raises the agenda Embarrassing questions For the European Union, though, some lawmakers say Trump's return to the White House could be a “real opportunity” for the 27-nation bloc.
Trump who promised “new”The golden ageTo America in his inauguration speech on Monday repeatedly It threatened to impose tariffs on goods imported into the United States from the European Union, raising fears of a possible trade war.
Speaking to reporters earlier in the week, Trump said the European Union has been “very bad to us. So, they're going to put tariffs on it. It's the only way…you're going to get justice.”
His comments come as the new US administration is considering imposing a ban 10% additional tariff On goods imported from China, it will likely start from next month.
European Union officials, some of them Struggle European leaders have indicated, with Trump's confrontational style during his first four-year term, that his return to office could be positive for the bloc this time.
Laurent Saint-Martin, French Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade and French Citizens Abroad, described Trump's election victory as a “real opportunity” for Europe.
“We have to stick together, and that's very important,” St. Martin told CNBC's Dan Murphy at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday.
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, at a press conference following a CDU party meeting in Berlin, Germany, on Monday, February 19, 2024.
Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images
“Europe is a very strong continent in terms of industry, in terms of savings, in terms of purchasing power, in terms of the single market. So, what we need now is to create more unity and defend our values as well.” St. Martin said.
He continued: “But do not be naive. There will likely be a new shape for the world and commercial systems of tomorrow, so we have to be prepared for change, but above all we have to be united.”
“You know, Donald Trump's first term was an opportunity for Europe to be together in defense… Now I think it's time for us to be more united in industry and trade.”
Meanwhile, business leaders expressed mixed feelings about Trump 2.0.
Richard Edelman, CEO of global communications firm Edelman, suggested that Trump's return could be a “shot in the arm” for businesses, while Steven van Rijswijk, CEO of ING, told CNBC that the US president's inauguration should constitute a “wake-up call for Europe”. .
“America first” and Europe second?
The transatlantic economic relationship is It is considered This is crucial for both Washington and Brussels, as the two economies share the largest bilateral trade and investment relationship in the world.
In dealing with Trump's tariff threats, Finnish President Alexander Stubb said it would be important for Europe to “take it one day at a time.”
Finnish President Alexander Stubb speaks upon his arrival at the 2024 NATO Summit on July 10, 2024 in Washington, DC.
Andrew Harnick | Getty Images News | Getty Images
“In foreign policy, you always have to respond to a certain situation, especially when you come from a small country, and you realize that you're working with whoever is the president of the largest superpower in the world,” Staub told CNBC's Steve Sedgwick. World Economic Forum on Wednesday.
“Now, I am of course comfortable with the fact that Donald Trump wants the United States to survive and maintain superpower status, and for that it needs allies, and I think those allies come from Europe,” Staub said.
He added, “So, if I may simplify a little, even though the slogan is 'America first,' perhaps Europe should be second, which is perfectly fine.”
“Zero-sum gain”
Poland's Finance Minister Andrzej Domanski said on Wednesday that Europe's “best response” to any potential tension with the United States is to restore 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 World Economic Forum's annual meeting.
“Our Polish relations with the United States are very, very good, and as I said, we buy a lot of American military equipment, tanks, fighter planes. In fact, you name it, we buy it,” Domanski said.
He added: “But, as a European Union, we must of course remain united in our relations with the United States and we will remain so.”
Separately, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Wednesday that Spain and Europe's focus should be on how to strengthen transatlantic relations, warning that a potential trade war with the United States would be a “zero-sum gain.”
“We share a strong transatlantic bond,” Sanchez told CNBC. “Our economies are very interconnected, and I think a trade war is not in the interest of (either party), neither in the interest of the United States nor in the interest of the European Union.”
“The trade war is a kind of zero-sum gain,” he added. “We need to focus on how to strengthen our transatlantic relationship, which is now more important than ever.”
— CNBC's Holly Eliatt contributed to this report.
