On July 2, while attending an event in Athens, Greece, former German Chancellor Angela Merkel stated that if US President Trump’s tariffs cause US citizens to pay more for goods, then Trump himself will also be affected.
Merkel stated that the EU must stand united, not fearing further tariffs imposed by Trump, but instead retaliating with its own tariffs. The EU must negotiate with the US to resolve the tariff issue.
United States President Trump has threatened to impose a 50% tariff on European Union goods if trade negotiations between the U.S. and the EU do not reach a breakthrough by July 9. Currently, the U.S. imposes a 50% tariff on EU steel and aluminum products, a 25% tariff on automobiles, and a 10% baseline tariff on nearly all other goods.