What actually happened?đ
Donald Trump repeatedly threatened tariffs on the European Union (especially cars, steel, aluminum, and luxury goods).
During negotiations, he temporarily suspended or delayed tariffs to pressure the EU into trade talks.
These pauses were tactical, not permanent cancellations.
Key moments (easy timeline)
2018â2019:
Trump imposed steel & aluminum tariffs on the EU under ânational securityâ.
EU retaliated with tariffs on Harley-Davidson, bourbon, jeans, etc.
Mid-2019:
Trump threatened 25% tariffs on EU cars â later delayed to allow negotiations.
2020:
Some tariffs were suspended, but trade tensions stayed alive.
Important: Trump always kept tariffs as a pressure tool, not fully removed.
Why he didnât fully cancel them
Trumpâs core belief: EU trade policies hurt US manufacturers
Tariffs were used to:
Force better trade terms
Reduce US trade deficit
Push EU on NATO spending & subsidies
Current reality (important)
Under Biden, USâEU relations improved and many disputes cooled.
If Trump returns to power, analysts expect:
Tariff threats could come back
Especially on EU autos, green subsidies, and digital taxes
Bottom line
â No permanent cancellation
â Temporary pauses/delays
â ïž Threat still part of Trumpâs trade strategy
#TrumpCancelsEUTariffThreat #WEFDavos2026 #btc #WhoIsNextFedChair
