Maybe Europe should follow the example of China, the only nation to force Trump into a serious capitulation in his second term. Beijing wielded its dominance over rare earth minerals, which power the US tech industry, to force him to suspend his trade war with China.
Europe might be a military paper tiger. But, with the US, it’s one half of the world’s biggest trade relationship. Millions of American jobs in a US economy that’s giving Trump political trouble may rely on European trade.
“Inevitably, if Donald Trump persists, a showdown is necessary,” France’s top newspaper, Le Monde, wrote in an editorial. “Donald Trump seems to respect only those who stand up to him. The European Union does not lack weapons, provided it finally decides to use them.”
A descent into a full-blow trade war with reciprocal US tariffs could be a disaster for both sides and might finish off NATO.
But if it needs to hurt Trump, Europe may have no choice… Will Europe really follow through?
Thoughts? Should Europe add tariffs to US trade to hurt the US economy, hoping it will make Trump back down over Greenland, even if this means economic pain for Europe?
Sometimes a little bit of bar room brawling can be required. Of course, it’s different within politics. However, the knockout punches are there indeed.