Trump’s Tariffs Spark Worldwide Reactions, Risking Global Trade War
World leaders have responded to the sweeping tariffs announced by the US President, Donald Trump, vowing to take reciprocal measures.
On Wednesday, Trump announced a 10% baseline tariffs on imports to the US from all countries, which will take effect on April 5, 2025.
Moreover, he imposed higher tariffs on some of the US largest trading partners, with which the country has the largest trade deficits. This will take effect on April 9, 2025, according to the White House Fact Sheet.
China, the US second top exporter, will take the hardest blow with a 54% tariff, while the European Union (EU) will face a 20% tariff.
Trump’s New Tariffs
In what he called “Liberation Day,” Trump said that the new tariffs are in response to an “economic emergency” and that they aim to “strengthen the international economic position of the US and protect American workers.”
The tariffs will remain in place until Trump decides that the “threat posed by the trade deficit and underlying nonreciprocal treatment is satisfied, resolved, or mitigated,” according to the White House.
Global Reactions to Trump’s Tariffs
Trump’s tariffs have sparked widespread reactions around the world, with leaders vowing to take countermeasures as they fear these measures will severely damage global trade.
The European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, warned of the consequences of Trump’s tariffs, describing them as a “major blow to the world economy.”
She said: “The consequences will be dire for millions of people around the globe,” adding that the EU was preparing to respond if negotiations with the US failed.
“We are already finalizing the first package of countermeasures in response to tariffs on steel, and we are now preparing for further countermeasures to protect our interests and our businesses if negotiations fail,” she noted.
European Concern
The French government spokesperson, Sophie Primas, said that the tariffs would be a “hard blow” for the international and European economies. She added that France was “ready for this trade war,” accusing Trump of wanting to be “master of the world.”
The UK Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, said that the British government will react with “cool and calm heads” to Trump’s tariffs. He added that these tariffs will have an economic impact, hoping they will be lifted through an economic deal with Washington.
Germany’s economy minister, Robert Habeck, described Trump’s measures as “the most disruptive tariff increases for 90 years.” He added: “I think a similar reaction is necessary now from the European Union and its world partners.”
Similarly, the outgoing German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, called the tariffs “an attack” on a trading system that brought global prosperity, adding that “the US administration is setting off on a road at the end of which there will only be losers.”
Asian Response
Meanwhile, Japan’s Prime Minister, Shigeru Ishiba, said that the tariffs are a “matter of great concern,” adding that they “will have a great impact not only on US-Japanese economic relations but also on the global economy and various trade relations overall.”
India, one of the US biggest trading partners, said it was assessing Trump’s tariffs. The Indian Trade Ministry said that the government seeks to accelerate the negotiations for a trade agreement with the US “to potentially garner some concessions and offset the impact of higher import taxes.”
On the other hand, China slammed Trump’s tariffs, saying that “there are no winners in trade wars and tariff wars.” The Chinese Commerce Ministry added that “China firmly opposes this and will take countermeasures to safeguard its own rights and interests.”
