Trump’s customs obsession: What she can still stop now

U.S. President Donald Trump announces the fight with a huge customs package in trading partners in the world. It could be the prelude to a global trade war: the European Union and China have already announced countermeasures, but at the same time are looking for dialogue.

“NZZ“: “He dreams of an America that becomes economically completely independent – all steel himself, builds all furniture, cars and ships itself. (…) Such protectionism will not lead the United States to a new golden age, but will be expensive for its consumers and producers. It is now important how the affected states react to Trump’s U -turn. Let yourself be provoked and practicing retribution on the principle “Eye-um eye, tooth-um tooth”threatens a global relapse into mercantilism. Such could easily trigger a serious global economic crisis.

To prevent this, Europe should now forego counter -tariffs that the USA -stepped world trade system has observed and expand free trade with like -minded people. The EU and Switzerland could play a pioneering role here and strengthen its economic relationships with other countries in Asia (including China) and Latin America.”

“Xinhua“: “By transforming the trade into a too simple ‘like you, so I, I, I play you, disassembles Washington a global trading system based on efficiency, specialization and mutual benefit, and thus harms both the US economy and overall of the global economy.

Ironically, the most obvious victims of Trump’s protectionism are probably the Americans themselves. Despite the promises to revive the processing of the trade, protectionist measures have solidified inefficiencies and affected competitiveness. (…) Washington customs obsession not only fails to revive US sectors, but even throws them back. Even more disturbing for the American politicians is the fact that this approach harbors the risk that the United States will fall away while the global economy is progressing without them.”

“Financial Times“: “While the White House seems to be in a kind of new American self -sufficiency, the crucial question arises whether Trump will be able to maintain this aggressive trading policy over a longer period of time, or whether it will finally undo it under the pressure of the economy, market, politics and even judiciary. (…) The most important factor that Trump and his team could get to rethink their trading policy could be purely political. A break-in of approval values ​​for the president or fears on the Capitol Hill that the majorities of the Republicans are at risk in both houses of the US Congress in the 2026 intermediate elections could trigger a rethink.”

“The press“: “The transatlantic interest rate difference is growing, the euro evaluates from the dollar, European goods are therefore cheaper for US customers and the effects of the tariffs are partially fizzled out. China, which controls the exchange rate of its currency centrally, will not stand by and will watch the United States and Europe start a race for the cheaper currency. (…) A currency war wins who does not get involved. Europe has to work on its fundamental competitiveness, close new trade agreements and prove to the financial markets that it is a stability anchor in an insecure world.”

“La Repubblica“: “The “Liberation Day” Donald Trump is a tsunami of tariffs that sweep away the remains of globalization and initiates a phase of economic uncertainty, trigger alliances, trigger conflicts and disrupt the supply chains of world trade. With a flood of effects that will penetrate each of each of us.

It is the announcement of an offensive on a global level. But it is a way that, according to the Goldman Sachs business bank, will lead to more inflation in the United States this year, less growth and higher unemployment. (…) It is feared to repeat the mistake of the Smoot Hawley Tariff Act, the Congress Act that signed President Hoover in 1930 and was introduced from up to 20 percent to around 20,000 imported products. This led to a tightening of the great depression, from which the Americans were already plagued.”

“El Economista”: “Europe is not delivered to the customs offensive of (US President) Donald Trump. It is true that the trade balance between the USA and the EU shows a surplus of around 150 billion euros in favor of Europe. However, the roles are exchanged for the services. Here it is Europe that has a major deficit of around 110 billion compared to the world’s largest economy. Much of this amount is due to the fact that European companies in the areas of communication, industry and healthcare are dependent on the services offered by the large US technology companies.

Europe has thus become a decisive market for the so -called Magnificent Seven. The taxation of these companies, which is also very close to the current incumbent in the White House, is the best pressure medium from Brüssels compared to the United States. (…) Europe has an important arsenal in the customs war that the head of the Republican leads. It is therefore urgently needed that Brussels reacts determined and Trump responds with the same weapons. (…) This happened in Trump’s first term, whereupon Washington withdrew his intention to tax exports.”