US President Donald Trump has reignited his global trade war, targeting the European Union (EU) with new 50% tariffs and imposing fresh 25% tariffs on phone manufacturers, including Apple. The move comes after weeks of sluggish negotiations and reflects the administration’s frustration with resistance from corporations and foreign countries.
Trump declared that he is no longer interested in reaching a trade deal and vowed to “play the game the way I know how to play.” The White House will also impose new tariffs on EU goods, which has sparked concerns about destabilizing financial markets and damaging Trump’s approval ratings.
The US-EU trade relationship is one of the biggest and broadest in the world, with the two sides importing and exporting billions of dollars worth of goods each year. However, the administration’s aggressive trade strategy has been criticized for risking economic instability and failing to deliver favorable deals.
Despite progress in negotiations with other trading partners, including a preliminary agreement with the UK, Trump’s rhetoric is likely to further escalate tensions with the EU, just weeks before he meets with leaders of the G7 nations. The EU has warned that it will retaliate if a fair deal cannot be quickly struck.
The new tariffs on phone manufacturers have opened a fresh front in the administration’s multilayered trade war, which initially targeted China and now includes India. Trump’s actions have sparked economic uncertainty, with financial markets in Europe and the US dropping sharply following his posts.
Source: https://www.politico.com/news/2025/05/23/trump-global-trade-war-apple-eu-00368401