Trump Announces Response to EU Tariffs: ‘We Will Win This Economic Battle’

The plan will restore trade justice, even as major partners announced retaliatory tariffs on the new U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs, said U.S. President Donald Trump today (March 12, 2025), speaking to reporters at the White House during a meeting with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin. The Republican initially accused Ireland of using its tax policy (low taxes) to attract pharmaceutical and other companies from the U.S. and doubled down on his vow to impose reciprocal tariffs to help rebuild American manufacturing. Regarding Ireland, Trump stated that it has an unfair economic advantage due to its tax system, leading to a significant trade deficit with the U.S. He warned that if he had been president when Ireland began using its tax system to attract American companies, he would have taken countermeasures. Trump then threatened to escalate the trade war further. ‘Of course, we will respond,’ he said regarding the EU’s retaliatory tariffs. ‘They’ve mistreated us for a long time, and they won’t anymore.’ He added that he would balance the ‘massive deficit’ of his country. Trump criticized EU policies for straining relations with the U.S., stating, ‘The European Union treats us very badly, and they’ve been doing so for years… They sue our companies and make huge amounts of money. They sued Apple… and use it for other purposes, I suppose, to run the European Union.’ He concluded by asserting confidence in winning the trade dispute with the EU. ‘We will win this economic battle,’ he declared concerning EU tariffs.