News Brief: New Trump Tariffs Threaten EU-US Relations
Summary
President Donald Trump has threatened to impose new tariffs on eight European nations, starting at 10% in February and rising to 25% by June, unless the US can purchase Greenland. Experts warn this could push Europe closer to China and trigger the EU’s “trade bazooka” retaliation, potentially reshaping global alliances.
Key Points
- Tariff Threat: New 10% tariffs are threatened on Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, Netherlands, Finland, and the UK from Feb 1, escalating to 25% by June 1 over the Greenland dispute.
- European Response: The eight nations issued a joint statement condemning the threats as undermining transatlantic relations. The EU may deploy its “Anti-Coercion Instrument” (trade bazooka) to retaliate.
- Strategic Shift: Experts suggest the move could force Europe to recalibrate its alliances, fostering closer economic ties with China and moving away from the US-led post-WWII order.
- Economic Impact: The EU-US trade relationship is the world’s largest (€1.6 trillion in 2023). Europe is highly reliant on US digital services, making a trade pause particularly damaging for the EU.
- Expert Skepticism: Economists question the effectiveness of the EU’s “trade bazooka” against the US and warn Trump’s tactics create damaging global uncertainty.
新闻简报：特朗普新关税威胁欧美关系
摘要
美国总统特朗普威胁对八个欧洲国家加征新关税，从2月开始征收10%，6月升至25%，除非美国能够购买格陵兰岛。专家警告，此举可能将欧洲推向中国，并触发欧盟的”贸易火箭筒”进行报复，可能重塑全球联盟格局。
关键点
- 关税威胁：因格陵兰岛争端，美国威胁从2月1日起对丹麦、挪威、瑞典、法国、德国、荷兰、芬兰和英国加征10%关税，6月1日升至25%。
- 欧洲回应：八国发表联合声明谴责该威胁破坏跨大西洋关系。欧盟可能动用其”反胁迫工具”（贸易火箭筒）进行报复。
- 战略转变：专家指出，此举可能迫使欧洲重新调整其联盟关系，与中国建立更紧密的经济联系，并偏离美国主导的二战后国际秩序。
- 经济影响：欧美拥有全球最大的贸易关系（2023年达1.6万亿欧元）。欧洲在数字服务上高度依赖美国，贸易中断将对欧盟造成严重损害。
- 专家质疑：经济学家质疑欧盟”贸易火箭筒”对美国的有效性，并警告特朗普的策略正在造成破坏性的全球不确定性。
Original Article Link: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-01-20/trump-tariffs-european-allies-trade-bazooka/106243894