this post was submitted on 23 May 2025
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  • President Donald Trump on Friday said he is “recommending a straight 50% Tariff on the European Union” after complaining that trade negotiations have stalled.

  • The EU “has been very difficult to deal with,” Trump wrote. “Our discussions with them are going nowhere!”

The European Union, which was formed for the primary purpose of taking advantage of the United States on TRADE, has been very difficult to deal with. Their powerful Trade Barriers, Vat Taxes, ridiculous Corporate Penalties, Non-Monetary Trade Barriers, Monetary Manipulations, unfair and unjustified lawsuits against Americans Companies, and more, have led to a Trade Deficit with the U.S. of more than $250,000,000 a year, a number which is totally unacceptable. Our discussions with them are going nowhere! Therefore, I am recommending a straight 50% Tariff on the European Union, starting on June 1, 2025. There is no Tariff if the product is built or manufactured in the United States. Thank you for your attention to this matter!

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[–] [email protected] 158 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Another decision that benefits no one except Russia. Their asset sure is paying off.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Ironically, tariffs also crashes the price of oil which also hurts Russia.

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[–] [email protected] 96 points 1 month ago (2 children)

"recommending" to who? he is ruling alone and everyone know that.

[–] [email protected] 40 points 1 month ago

His recommendation is to the apparently "beautiful face" in the mirror that his malignant narcissistic mind sees. The rest of us see an ugly old criminal tyrant with orange painted skin.

[–] [email protected] 61 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (7 children)

America bonks Canada and Mexico saying "Tariff!"America wants to bonk EU "Ta- What is that?"EU with an RPG: "Ist meine Trade Enforcement Regulation"America backs down "I go to China! You are very, very bad! I tariff you soon!"

~~IIRC Trade Enforcement Regulation allows, among other options, for ignoring other country's patents and trademarks until someone else says it's time to stop. Correct me if I'm wrong.~~

Edit: Seems like I misremembered, because I can't find it mentioned in the regulation 654/2014, my bad

Edit 2: Okay, I think I've found it - 654/2014 was amended by 2021/167, and as far as I understand legalese THAT one allows for suspension of intellectual property rights. I'll wait with un-stroking the original paragraph until someone more knowledgeable confirms (or denies) my understanding

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[–] [email protected] 52 points 1 month ago

Christ on a cracker. We are not at war with anyone. Therefore every single one of these tariffs are illegal. He does not have the authority to be doing this shit and I am so fucking sick of it. Yes I am aware that the lapdog congress will do nothing to stop him. Yes I am still going to complain anyway.

[–] [email protected] 50 points 1 month ago (8 children)

I legitimately don't understand why what's left of the free world hasn't all gotten together and agreed to tarrif America all at the same time.

Just throw insane tareifs, and let trump sit in it for a couple months while everyone ignores all his phone calls and requests for meetings.

That would actually work.

[–] [email protected] 56 points 1 month ago (5 children)

Because, as we're experiencing, tariffs are a regressive tax on your own populace and hurt the most vulnerable. Also, they don't have to. We're pissing off enough regular people that they're voluntarily buying made-anywhere-but-USA. Lastly, why provoke an idiot with a huge military?

They can and will dismantle American power just by not buying our debt and then supporting a chamge in the world's reserve currency. Trump is screwing us for generations

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[–] [email protected] 18 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Because we are transitioning away from the US and that takes time.

E.G. Canada's government removed industrial tariffs temporarily but kept commercial good tariffs. This is so that Canadian industries can get the necessary tooling and other things from the US now and remove the US from Canadian logistics.

So that Canada can move to completely remove the US from the industry side.

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[–] [email protected] 47 points 1 month ago

I need to explain to people why this is so amazingly stupid:

You are literally giving Europe an excuse to put tariffs on American goods and services, which they want to anyway, to encourage domestic producers.

Also, you're making it easier for them to buy directly from south Korea, Japan and even China, especially since those countries can't sell as easily to the US.

For Europe this is an absolute win/win.

But honestly, this sounds like a way for Trump to put pressure on Europe to back off on Ukraine, as he probably thinks the EU is reliant on US LNG, which is kind of isn't really.

[–] [email protected] 38 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (2 children)

Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution vests the power to lay and collect tariffs with Congress.

Are we going to just ignore it? Technically tarrifs are supposed to be imposed by an act of congress, not the orange manchild in chief.

[–] [email protected] 28 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

Congress has long ago decided to stop being a coequal branch of government. Same now with SCOTUS.. They've ceded so much authority to the executive that they almost can't fight back now. Impeachment is the only option left and Republicans won't/can't. Our remaining hope is that Democrats will/can in 2 years. AND that significant reforms follow that will limit the president again.

Otherwise, we've become Turkey. A representative republic in name only.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 month ago

Otherwise, we’ve become Turkey. A representative republic in name only.

You are already there... even assuming the ridiculous notion that you'd have free and fair elections in 2 years, the damage is done. In 2 years time, the USA won't be salvageable... I have huge doubts it can be salvageable today

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

If by "we" you mean the American people, yes it will be ignored as they seem to fall into 3 categories at the moment:

  • completely clueless to the reality around them

  • know this is bad but waiting for someone else to do the job or really entice them into action with a nice juicy carrot

  • completely in agreement with the orange turd

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[–] [email protected] 34 points 1 month ago

Who gives a shit? Fuck the US. DJT is a pussy. See what just happened with China.

[–] [email protected] 34 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Gee, wouldn't it be a surprise if a stock selloff by administration people had occurred just before this announcement? No one would expect that.

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[–] [email protected] 31 points 1 month ago (1 children)

The EU should use the Chinese method:

The US puts 50% The EU puts 50. The US puts 100 The EU puts 100 Trump says "I´m waiting for them to call me" The EU doesn´t call. Trump says 10%

Job done in 2 weeks.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 month ago (1 children)

just up our prices. No need to shoot ourselves in the foot. You want a 50% tarriff? I will increase the prices I sell my stuff to you by 50% too. That effectively turns their 50% into 125%. If you do this for stuff they can only get from here then they'll quickly walk it back. Use their tarriffs against them, not do the same thing to our own citizens

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[–] [email protected] 26 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Oh look, more grifting from the grifter in chief. Turning our government into an outright kleptocracy.

[–] [email protected] 25 points 1 month ago (1 children)

The fact that we the EU are still trying to negotiate with the US is pathetic. We should not be entertaining this clique.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 month ago (3 children)

Allies on paper, EU can't simply tell tramp to go fuck himself like China can, for now.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Good point but why do they get to tell us to go fuck ourselves then? We are also their allies on paper.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (3 children)

Well, the alliance was not symmetric to start with, the US used to call the shots and the EU would follow if it wasn't a stupid decision or sit on its hands otherwise. russia's invasion and the US's passivity is challenging that.

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[–] [email protected] 20 points 1 month ago (3 children)

He still doesn't know what a tariff is.

Also, I appreciate that every picture I see of Trump, even on official news sources, is an unflattering one. They always make sure to catch him with his mouth looking like what it is, that being an asshole.

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[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 month ago

Just ignore him. He's proven multiple times he will cave.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 month ago

Dude just wants to crater the US economy, specifically the stock market, and kill what credibility the US has thrived on since WW2. Can't help but feel Putin has a finger in this cause a weak US makes Russia look stronger.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Counting VAT as a trade deficit enabler is complete bullshit.

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[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=USA-EU_-_international_trade_in_goods_statistics

Looks like that'd be bad for EU pharmaceuticals and auto manufacturers in particular.

WRT autos, it'd be doing the opposite of eliminating the chicken tax.

EDIT: Assuming (a) that tariffs go into force, (b) stay in place (with China they were cut to 30% before long), (c) exceptions don't show up (with China, electric devices were exempted), (d) and disregarding price elasticity of demand and how readily a given good could be obtained from elsewhere, all of which might, I expect, be substantial factors in impact.

EDIT2:

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/05/23/european-stock-markets-live-updates-ftse-dax-cac-40-stoxx-600-friday.html

European autos index sheds 3.6% after Trump 50% tariff threat on EU

I guess that'd support an argument of auto manufacturers being impacted.

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[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 month ago

Alrighty then, every MB of EU-user-generated data transferred to servers of US digital services now incurs a fee of 0.1€.

If you don't pay, or during ongoing proceedings, the packets are not forwarded to the IP range of that service.

I bet that would resolve all problems very quickly.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 month ago

Just imagine what was agreed on in the 2 hr phone conversation between Trump and Putin?

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 month ago

He wants bribes

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 month ago

Translation: punish them for not being nice to me.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Has anybody tried gifting Donald Trump an unseaworthy carbon fiber sub to secure a deal?

If something went wrong we would all understand, inherent vice and such being a well established legal concept. An insurer cannot be expected to guard against the inherent vice of the ocean, god, nor of an out of control fascist who will not follow rules.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 month ago

I wonder what'll happen to Tech giants' revenue in the EU if they decide to get serious about this.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 month ago (1 children)
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[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 month ago

Say goodbye to US jobs when companies can’t afford to keep going

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 month ago

So it's Putin week again. Stubb prepping a plane to go test hot tubs in Florida?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 month ago

Oh, in Europe we have good math books for third-graders. Many pictures and drawings in it too. And not that many nasty equations.

We could send him one or two ...

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