Summary

Donald Trump has demanded the European Union reduce its $131.3 billion U.S. trade deficit by purchasing more American oil and gas or face tariffs.

Trump’s comments, posted on Truth Social, come as the EU works to phase out Russian energy imports and diversify suppliers.

EU officials, while open to U.S. energy imports, criticized Trump’s approach as transactional, warning of potential retaliation.

Analysts highlight risks of tariffs to inflation and global trade. The EU plans to engage pragmatically but has prepared for heightened U.S. protectionism under Trump’s leadership.

  • wewbull@feddit.uk
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    4 days ago

    Let him. He seems to think tariffs would make the EU/China/etc pay him money. They don’t. Tariffs raise the price for the person buying the good. It makes prices artificially high within the US and the US consumer pays. The seller gets the same money they always did.

    Unless there’s an American alternative manufacturer who can’t currently compete in the domestic market because of price, tariffs are a total foot-gun.

    • PerogiBoi@lemmy.ca
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      4 days ago

      At this point I’d like Trump to go nuts with tariffs. If amerika has decided that the world needs to be punished, then let amerikans burn first. They’ll keep us warm while our economies fall apart.

        • ShadowRam@fedia.io
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          4 days ago

          Why don’t the Chinese people do something about Xi? Why don’t the Russians do something about Putin? Why don’t the Israel’s do something about Netanyahu?

          I didn’t decide shit, the rest of these asshats I’m surrounded by did it for me. Leave me out of it.

          • NeilBrü@lemmy.world
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            4 days ago

            The world is largely full of masochists ruled by sadists.

            Never underestimate people’s desire for servility in the name of stability.

            The vast majority of people have an exceedingly high tolerance for their own subjugation if it means they don’t have to think or act to avoid pain or responsibility.

            Okay, I admit that I basically said the same thing 3 times with different wording. Personally, I just hope that I’m not as docile as I fear that I am.

        • PerogiBoi@lemmy.ca
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          3 days ago

          Not voting is an endorsement. He won the popular vote.

          Edit: it’s amazing how the majority here proudly announce they didn’t vote in this election. Yall post about how you stayed home and refused to vote and then in the same breath you’re crying about Trump. All this does is publicly advertise your cognitive bankruptcy. Mazel tov on that. Ya get what ya ask for.

          • TimeSquirrel@kbin.melroy.org
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            4 days ago

            I did vote. Not for him. So anything done by the US at this point has nothing to do with me. My decision was nullified.

            Stop assuming things without complete information. Maybe I also worded it wrong.

            • FMT99@lemmy.world
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              4 days ago

              Ain’t democracy grand? We can sit on our asses, put a ballot in a box every 4 years and if it doesn’t go our way we can just pretend nothing that happens is our fault.

          • prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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            4 days ago

            Yup, 100%. Same goes for anyone who threw their vote away on a third party candidate.

            They’re just as delusional as Trumpers, as they obviously will do anything they can to avoid admitting to themselves that they fucked up and taking responsibility for their actions.

          • small44@lemmy.world
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            3 days ago

            Stupid argument, how said that if they decide the vote they would have voted for Harris? How about blaming the failure of the two party system instead of people?

            • PerogiBoi@lemmy.ca
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              3 days ago

              “It’s not my fault the car drove into the wall! I don’t like the steering wheel, someone else should have installed a better control system!”

              Lmao. Great argument. Enjoy your car crash!

              • small44@lemmy.world
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                3 days ago

                What a weird comparison. Keep voting for the same terrible two parties and then complains about your country crashing.

                  • small44@lemmy.world
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                    3 days ago

                    You are right but people been justifying voting to the two parties and complains about 3rd party voters before trump was in politics and will continue to do so after Trump