The Factors Behind Trump’s Long-Standing Frustration With EU

‘There are 27 member states, and each of them has a different set of trade priorities,’ says former Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross.
The Factors Behind Trump’s Long-Standing Frustration With EU
President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference with Elon Musk in the Oval Office of the White House on May 30, 2025. Allison Robbert/AFP via Getty Images
Emel Akan
Andrew Moran
Updated:

WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump’s recent threat to impose a 50 percent tariff on the European Union starting July 9 has spurred Brussels into action, with EU officials rushing to schedule meetings with U.S. counterparts ahead of the looming deadline.

While it remains uncertain whether the talks will yield substantial progress in narrowing the U.S. trade deficit or removing long-standing barriers to American exports, some observers believe the EU is negotiating from a position of weakness and may be more willing to make concessions this time.

Emel Akan is a senior White House correspondent for The Epoch Times, where she covers the policies of the Trump administration. Previously, she reported on the Biden administration and the first term of President Trump. Before her journalism career, she worked in investment banking at JPMorgan. She holds an MBA from Georgetown University.
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