European Union claims it “holds cards when negotiating trade,” but they are relatively weak, yet there will be unintended consequences to Donald Trump’s trade policies
(Above from Pixabay)
The European Union is concerned about tariffs and trade with the USA:
Trans-Atlantic turning point: Donald Trump tests EU-US ties
The European Union is striving to demonstrate its economic independence from the United States while remaining dependent on US military protection. It’s the bloc’s latest challenge in relations with its longtime partner.
7 February 2025
On Sunday, US President Donald Trump described the US’s economic relationship with the European Union as “an atrocity.”
“They don’t take our cars; they don’t take our farm products,” Trump said, describing the trade deficit between the US and EU. “Essentially, they don’t take almost anything.” …
On Tuesday, the European commissioner for trade and economic security, Maros Sefcovic, clarified that this balance amounted to about 3% of the €1.5 trillion annual trade volume between the EU and US. …
Trump: ‘Definitely’ tariffs
On Sunday, Trump repeated his threat that he would “definitely” impose tariffs on goods from the European Union. But, so far, EU heads of state and government have shown a unified self-assured response. …
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said a change in customs policy that made the exchange of goods and services difficult “would be bad for the US and bad for Europe.” Scholz said the European Union could respond with steeper tariffs of its own. …
Arthur Leichthammer, a policy fellow for geoeconomics at the Berlin-based think tank the Jacques Delors Centre, …
Leichthammer said the protective shield provided by US nuclear capabilities, the collective defense guarantees within the NATO alliance and overall military cooperation with the United States were crucial elements of the EU’s defense strategy. These dependencies could make it hard for the bloc to stand up to the US, Leichthammer said.
Nevertheless, Leichthammer said, the European Union must pursue a credible and unified policy of deterrence in response to Trump’s tariff threats. …
The EU and its member states are currently looking for ways to make their defense strategy less dependent, https://www.dw.com/en/trans-atlantic-turning-point-donald-trump-tests-eu-us-ties/a-71533038
Some in the EU are overly confident as the following suggests:
EU holds cards when negotiating with Trump on tariffs, says ex-WTO chief Lamy
The EU holds several cards when it comes to negotiating its way out of economically harmful tariffs, former head of the WTO, Pascal Lamy has told Euronews’ Europe Conversation.
Brussels has been preparing for the likelihood of a second Trump term for several months ahead of his election, with the spectre of trade tariffs central to such preparations.
“They’ve been thinking about that for months. I mean, the notion that Trump would be president of the US appeared, unfortunately, in my view, quite some time ago,” said Lamy, who also served as EU Commissioner for Trade.
“There is a range of issues where we probably could open an interesting trans-Atlantic negotiation” which would allow Brussels to prevent the application of tariffs, he said. …
If negotiations between the EU and US on tariffs fail, Lamy said the EU should retaliate, which will have implications for US exporters.
“We have the means to retaliate because we have a large market and US exporters of a number of products will have problems if we retaliate,” he said. https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/02/06/eu-holds-cards-when-negotiating-with-trump-on-tariffs-says-ex-wto-chief-lamy
So, the EU has “been thinking about that for months.” So, has Donald Trump–except for him it has been years.
The USA has the military power and Donald Trump can tell the EU no, various nations will not be defended as they have not met NATO spending goals. It matters little if Donald Trump is “legally” right or wrong, this is what he believes and since the President of the United States is also commander and chief of the US military, he simply can chose not to assist Europe militarily or in a much more limited way.
The EU is not in as strong of a negotiating position as it wants to publicly portray.
Columbia, Panama, Canada, and Mexico have all recently learned this.
The EU leaders, however, do realize this. But their hope is that collectively they have a lot more power than an individual nation.
Yet, since Donald Trump is of the view that the USA has more power and less need of the EU than it has of the USA, the EU is not in as strong of a position as it hopes.
It is what will happen with Europe which will be one of major unintended consequences of Donald Trump’s trade policies and statements. Notice something from my latest book available at Amazon Kindle: Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies? as well as Amazon print :
Trade
Historically, Donald Trump has called for “fair trade” and indicated that various nations, including several in Asia, are not engaged in fair trade, so he has proposed high tariffs.[i]
Donald Trump has called tariffs, “the most beautiful word in the dictionary” and even proposed massive tariffs (up to 2000%) on Mexico if it will not do what he wants.[ii] He has basically also proposed a minimum of 10% tariffs on goods from much of the rest of the world.
Some believe that Donald Trump’s positions on trade will lead to a global trade war.[iii] Europe has said it will hit back against Donald Trump’s tariff policies.[iv] It is my position that trade disputes will be a factor in Europe taking military action against the USA one day.
One of the unintended consequences of Donald Trump’s threats of tariffs and other trade matters is that it is motivating nations he has threatened to look to trade more with each other.
The morning after his reelection, I wrote:
According to the major media, Donald Trump won re-election. … Europe will get more serious about trade deals with others internationally, such as being more motivated to approve the trade deal with the Mercosur block of South America.[v]
On December 6, 2024, Politico reported that the European Union approved the massive Mercosur trade deal, despite opposition from France and others, and also pointed to Donald Trump’s reelection as a factor.[vi]
Energy and climate policy differences between the Europeans and Donald Trump look to increase the negative view many in Europe already have about the USA. …
- Pushing tariffs and other policies that foreign nations do not like is contributing to other nations looking to bypass the USA dollar, as well as trade more with each other and less with the USA. This will further push various globalist’s moves forward without the USA. This is also helping set the stage for the coming European Babylonian Beast to dominate international trade.
[i] Trade: Donald J. Trump’s Vision. https://www.donaldjtrump.com/policies/trade accessed December 16, 2016
[ii] Pan J. Donald Trump calls tariff ‘the most beautiful word,’ threatens up to 2,000% tariff to block Mexican car imports. Yahoo News, November 3, 2024
[iii] Islam F. Will Trump’s victory spark a global trade war? BBC, November 7, 2024
[iv] Vella JH. EU’s game plan for Trump trade war: ‘Hit back fast and hard.’ Polico.eu, October 21, 2024
[v] Thiel B. Media declares Donald Trump won the election–now what? y Donald trump y eventos para observar. COGwriter, November 6, 2024
[vi] Gijs C, Leali G. EU snubs France to seal huge Latin American trade deal. Politico, December 6, 2024
(Thiel B. Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies? Nazarene Books, 2025)
More of the world’s nations are starting to look away from the USA for trade. While the EU currently DOES NOT hold truly strong cards when negotiating with the USA, it does when dealing with other nations–and it will do so.
Notice part of number 8 of my list of 25 items to prophetically watch in 2025:
Europe will reach out to various ones in Asia and Africa, as well as Latin America. In the next several years, deals and more trade will occur with Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
Consider also the following:
Top EU official suggests strengthening trade ties with China as bloc faces US tariffs
February 5, 2025
With changes unseen in a century rapidly unfolding, and the world turning into a less stable and certain place, risks of division, fragmentation and disorder are looming large. Against this backdrop, China-EU relations have more strategic significance and global influence, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Wednesday, in response to European Commission President Ursula that EU and China can find agreements that could even expand trade and investment ties. …
As US President Donald Trump suggested the EU could be the next to face US tariffs, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen – seen by media as the continent’s most prominent China hawk – stated on Tuesday that there is room to strengthen trade relations and even “find agreements” with Beijing, in “an era of hyper-competitive and hyper-transactional geopolitics.”
“We will keep de-risking our economic relationship – as we have been doing in recent years. But there is also room to engage constructively with China – and find solutions in our mutual interest,” von der Leyen said in a speech before the EU’s diplomatic corps in Brussels, South China Morning Post reported on Tuesday.
The European Commission President said she believes that EU and China can find agreements that could even expand trade and investment ties. “It is a fine line that we need to walk. But it can lead us to a fairer and more balanced relationship with one of the world’s economic giants. And that can make sense for Europe,” she continued. https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202502/1327889.shtml
Both China and the EU are looking to trade more with each other. They are two of the largest traders in the world.
Notice also the following:
The new EU-Mexico agreement: the EU fast-tracks integration with Latin America
3 February 2025
Mexico and the EU consolidate their strategic association with a modernised agreement that expands economic opportunities. The renewal of the EU-Mexico FTA updates an agreement that has been in place since 2000, eliminating restrictions in key sectors such as agri-food, services and public procurement, in addition to incorporating regulations on digital trade and data protection.
The EU accelerates its integration with Latin America & the Caribbean (LAC) in response to the geopolitical reconfiguration and the uncertainty and risks of a second Donald Trump presidency. …
The next key step should be the interoperability and regulatory convergence among the network of trade agreements between the EU and Latin America (covering 95% of the GDP of Latin America and the Caribbean) to transform the architecture of EU-LAC trade and Latin American intraregional trade. Moving in this direction would create an integrated EU-LAC economic space of 1.1 billion people with a GDP comparable to that of the US and EU-LAC bilateral trade would increase by up to 70%, while LAC intra-regional trade would grow by up to 38%.
Analysis
Just a few weeks after the announcement of the EU-Mercosur agreement in Montevideo, Uruguay, last 6 December, following 25 years of discussions, the EU took a new step in its integration strategy with Latin America by closing after nine years of negotiations the modernisation of the EU-Mexico agreement (EU-Mexico FTA), updating the treaty in force since 2000. The agreements follow the modernisation of the EU-Chile agreement, concluded in December 2023 and ratified by the European Parliament in February 2024.The accelerated pace at which these agreements are being concluded is by no means a coincidence, but a clear manifestation of the EU’s political decision to strengthen its strategic partnership with Latin America in a context of global geopolitical reconfiguration and the uncertainties and risks of a new Trump Administration in the US. https://www.realinstitutoelcano.org/en/analyses/the-new-eu-mexico-agreement-the-eu-fast-tracks-integration-with-latin-america/
We are already seeing unintended consequences of Donald Trump’s trade statements and policies as the EU, Canada, and Latin America are looking more towards trade deals with each other and NOT the USA.
The Bible shows that Europe will, temporarily, dominate trade, which means that the USA will not:
3 … all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury. (Revelation 18:3)
9 The kings of the earth who committed fornication and lived luxuriously with her … 19 in which all who had ships on the sea became rich by her wealth! (Revelation 18:9,19)
Europe does not have to be perfect to do this, but perceived for a time, as the best economic option for the world.
Biblical prophecies will come to pass.
Some items of possibly related interest may include:
Trade Disputes: CCOG Warnings Are Coming to Pass Trade tensions and talks of trade wars have escalated. US President Donald Trump has put Europe, China, Mexico, and other lands on notice that he wants to change how international trade with the USA has been going. Tariffs, retaliatory tariffs, and even more tariffs are being implemented. Is this all just happenstance? Are we yet in a trade war? What will Europe do? Has the Church of God been warning about trade disputes and a coming trade war for decades? What about the Continuing Church of God (CCOG)? What has been warned, what has been happening, and what will happen? Will trade disputes be a factor in World War III (WW3)? Dr. Thiel explains what has been taught and what to expect.
Brexit Happened: Now What? At 11:00 pm January 31, 2020, the United Kingdom formally left the European Union. Many celebrated, while many mourned. Nigel Farage stated, “This is the greatest moment in modern British history.” What will happen to the United Kingdom? Will the UK be involved in trade deals with the United States of America and the Europeans? Will the UK regret the BRitish Exit (Brexit) from the EU?What will happen with the European Union? Is Europe prophesied to have a great army and many ships? Does the Bible prophesy a reorganization of Europe? Does it prophesy that the Europeans will become a conquering military power? Is the United Kingdom prophesied to be conquered? How does the Bible name the British-descended peoples? Was the British Empire the largest in world history? Was Brexit predicted by Church of God leaders in 1970 and the early 1990s? Will the European Union be negatively affected financially by the departure of the UK? Will this turn out well for the UK or the Europeans? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues and more in this video.
Trade Wars: Are COG warnings coming to pass? Trade issues, tariffs, and talk of trade wars are in the news. Can trade wars lead to World War III like they did to World War II? Are the events going on with the USA, UK, Asia, and Europe consistent with warnings published by the true Church of God (COG) over the past several years and decades? Do Germany and China hope to take advantage of trade frictions involving the Trump Administration and the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement? What about Mexico and South America? Does the Bible teach that Europe will become a major trading power? Will the final European Babylonian trading power be destroyed? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues and more in this video.
Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? What is ahead for Europe? Here is are links to related videos: European history and the Bible, Europe In Prophecy, The End of European Babylon, and Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European? Here is a link to a related sermon in the Spanish language: El Fin de la Babilonia Europea.
25 items to prophetically watch in 2025 Much is happening. Dr. Thiel points to 25 items to watch (cf. Mark 13:37) in this article. Here is a link to a related sermon video: 25 Items to Watch in 2025.
Lost Tribes and Prophecies: What will happen to Australia, the British Isles, Canada, Europe, New Zealand and the United States of America? Where did those people come from? Can you totally rely on DNA? Do you really know what will happen to Europe and the English-speaking peoples? What about the peoples of Africa, Asia, South America, and the islands? This free online book provides scriptural, scientific, historical references, and commentary to address those matters. Here are links to related sermons: Lost tribes, the Bible, and DNA; Lost tribes, prophecies, and identifications; 11 Tribes, 144,000, and Multitudes; Israel, Jeremiah, Tea Tephi, and British Royalty; Gentile European Beast; Royal Succession, Samaria, and Prophecies; Asia, Islands, Latin America, Africa, and Armageddon; When Will the End of the Age Come?; Rise of the Prophesied King of the North; Christian Persecution from the Beast; WWIII and the Coming New World Order; and Woes, WWIV, and the Good News of the Kingdom of God.
Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies? Is Donald Trump going to save the USA or are there going to be many disastrous unintended consequences of his statements and policies? What will happen. The link takes you to a book available at Amazon.com.
Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies? Kindle edition is available for only US$3.99. And you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to for your free Kindle reader and then go to Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies?
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