“100%” is the way Donald Trump estimated the possibility of attacking a deal between the US and the European Union, two of the world’s largest economies.
“Yeah, there’s going to be a 100% trade deal,” Trump said he’s receiving Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. “They want to make a very, very much. We’re going to get a trade deal. I’m totally hoping for that. But it’s going to be a fair deal.”
The need for a contract has been a top priority for both parties, for a variety of reasons. For the EU, it is a way to avoid the unbearable pain of the 20% tariffs that Trump announced earlier this month. I paused later. For the US, a way to calm the market, reassure uneasy investors and win PR victory.
The White House has created a 90-day halt as a window into the make-up or break for other countries to set off on a pilgrimage to Washington, DC, seeking the US president and audience, and finding compromises. It has not yet been revealed whether the compromise should be mutual or unilaterally beneficial.
Meloni’s journey was the first journey by European leaders since the presentation of the so-called “mutual tariffs,” marking another chapter in this surge in diplomatic engagements. The day before, Trump met a trade delegation from Japan.
“Everyone is on my priority list,” Trump said.
The Italian Prime Minister, who used his right-wing qualifications to position himself as the builder of the bridge between both sides of the Atlantic, repeatedly optimistic about the room. Invited the president On an official visit to Italy.
“I’m sure we can make a deal. I’m here to help with that,” she told reporters.
Meloni then gave a pointed explanation that she had either inadvertently or otherwise exposed the limits of her powers.
“I can’t deal with it in the name of the European Union,” she said.
As an EU member state, Italy is part of a large customs union and part of a single market shared by 26 other countries. The same obligations, assignments, preferences and sanctions apply across common borders, making Bloc a unified entity with a commercial partner.
In reality, this means that Germany cannot impose a 10% import duties on Chevrolet SUVs, but Italy charges half of that for the same product. It also means that Germany cannot agree with Japan to abolish duties on each other’s cars, but Italy does the same in the US. All 27 Member States are bound by the same rules and the same transactions.
The ability to determine how high and how low the European Commission is has given it the exclusive ability to manage the bloc’s commercial and customs policies under the establishment treaty.
The provision quickly reduces the number of people Trump can call, and secures the trade deal he wants by negotiating with one name, Ursula von der Reyen. Still, he hasn’t seen or spoke to the committee president since returning to the White House.
The clash of stories
Trump’s aversion to the EU is well documented.
Republicans repeatedly accused Bullock of exclusive force. In his view, it was formed to “screw” with the United States and refused to purchase American-made goods. His assertion that he loves European countries as separate countries only underscores his dislike for the EU as a project of political and economic integration.
“You think of the European Union very friendly. They abandon us. It’s so sad to see. It’s so pathetic,” Trump said when he announced his tariffs.
Officials in Brussels tried to expose the story by pointing out the wider painting. The EU has a traditional surplus with the US worth 156.6 billion euros in 2023, but it has a significant shortage of services worth 108.6 billion euros. This reflects a more balanced relationship than that depicted by Washington to justify punitive tariffs.
Despite billions of risk, both sides have made little or no progress in avoiding what could soon become all a wreaking havoc trade war.
The lack of communication between Trump and von der Reyen has become increasingly noticeable and concerning with each passing day.
Von del Reyen’s team heading for his inauguration in January I tried to make a schedule It was a meeting between the two leaders, but the efforts had no consequences. Shortly after Trump took office and launched his broadside attack on Greenland’s sovereignty and Ukrainian President Voldimi Zelensky, transatlantic tensions began to rise, causing disappointment throughout the bloc, causing new obstacles with diplomatic outreach.
Von der Leyen continues to identify herself as an American “great friend” and “convincing the Atlanticists,” but she has hardened her tone significantly in public.
“Europe is still a peace project. There are no brothers or oligarchs making rules. They don’t invade our neighbors, nor punish them.” She said Zeit Newspaper.
Trump Bondel Reyen’s silence creates a deep vacuum at the highest political level, leaving behind a very delicate problem Delegate’s Hand Those who lack the task of making important decisions.
Von Der Leyen currently relies on Maroššefčovič, the European Trade Commission’s Chairman.
Over the past few months, Sifchovich has held several phone calls and meetings with his American counterpart. Their final joint meeting took place in Washington just days after Trump announced his 90-day suspension and von der Leyen Answer by type.
Read out From Sifchovich’s trip, he repeated the EU’s offer of “zero-zero” tariff contracts for all industrial products Trump previously rejected, mentioning topics such as steel and aluminum semiconductors, pharmaceuticals and global overcapacity.
According to a committee spokesperson, negotiations will continue at a technical level to “more explore the basis of mutually beneficial transactions.”
However, that landing zone will appear remote for the time being.
Sources used to discussions told Euronows that behind-the-scenes efforts would not produce the desired results. The committee fears the White House will retaliate into the 90-day window of opportunity opened by Trump’s suspension.
The ghost of new tariffs on the pharmasect, which the US president promises to impose, casts a dark shadow on the 24-hour mission.
“The US had not evaluated supply chain issues so I think I was a little surprised at the impact of pharma tariffs at first, but I may not wait for the outcome of the negotiations,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
As for technology, the committee fears that the final American game is to “dismantle the entire digital rulebook” introduced in the previous mission, particularly the Digital Services Act (DSA) and Digital Markets Act (DMA). Under these laws, executives opened a Probe string If a company is found to be noncompliant to Meta, Google, X, and Apple, it could lead to a large fine.
Brussels claims the investigation is Completely separate The White House appears to think that is not the case due to tariff issues. Trump’s loyalty, a senior trade and manufacturing counselor, Peter Navarro, creates a direct link between trade flows and digital regulations, equating the latter with “law.”
The disagreements are so broad, and the story seems incompatible, so Sifchovich, Rutnic and Greer could reach a tentative deal, but sometimes Trump and others in his inner circle “may not cross the line” as they suddenly change their minds.
Even if Von Der Leyen secures a call or face-to-face meeting, Trump’s mercury character risks an insurmountable hurdle for a veteran manager in the back-to-back crisis.
“We’re not in a hurry,” Trump said during his visit to Meloni.
When asked if he would meet von der Reyen, Trump simply said that his team had “many consultations” with “other countries” without mentioning the committee chief. He also defended his destructive policies and declared that “customers enrich us.”
