U.S. President Donald Trump has turned down a trade offer from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, saying it doesn’t go far enough. On Monday, Von der Leyen had proposed that the European Union would drop tariffs on U.S. cars and industrial goods—if the U.S. did the same in return. But Trump dismissed the idea, saying it was not enough to make him back down.
Speaking from the White House, Trump said the EU would need to commit to buying $350 billion worth of American energy if it wanted relief from the sweeping tariffs he had recently put in place. That figure, he explained, matches what he described as the current trade deficit between the U.S. and the EU.
“We have a deficit with the European Union of $350 billion and it’s gonna disappear fast,” Trump said. “They have to buy and commit to buy a like amount of energy.”
Trump’s message was clear: he wants the EU to increase its imports of American liquefied natural gas, oil, and other energy products. Only then, he suggested, would he consider lifting the heavy tariffs placed on European goods.
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Trump’s refusal to accept the EU’s proposal comes shortly after he imposed 20% tariffs on EU car imports and at least 10% on other goods from several trading partners. These actions had an immediate global impact. Stock markets around the world dropped sharply. European markets, in particular, had their biggest one-day loss since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
When asked during the press conference if these tariffs were meant to be permanent or just part of a negotiating strategy, Trump responded, “There can be permanent tariffs and there can also be negotiations.” He made it clear that his goal was not just to fix trade numbers but also to deal with what he called “non-monetary barriers.”
According to Trump, the EU uses complex safety and environmental standards to make it difficult for American products, like cars, to be sold in Europe. “They make it so difficult, the standards and the tests,” he said. “They come up with rules and regulations that are just designed for one reason: that you can’t sell your product in those countries. And we’re not gonna let that happen.”
Trump believes these kinds of rules are just hidden forms of trade barriers—designed not to protect consumers, but to block competition.
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The president’s remarks were made during a press event held in the Oval Office, where he was meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu had traveled to Washington partly to talk with Trump about the global effects of the U.S. tariff strategy and how it was affecting trade with Israel, too.
After their meeting, Trump repeated that he was open to making deals, but only if they benefited the U.S. more than anyone else. “If we can make a really fair deal and a good deal for the United States—not a good deal for others—this is America first,” he said.
When asked if any countries were making progress in talks about reducing tariffs, Trump mentioned the European Union specifically. He said that although the EU had started lowering car tariffs—possibly to 2.5% or even zero—that alone would not be enough. He reiterated that the EU must buy more U.S. energy, and not just negotiate on car duties.
Trump also pointed to American history to defend his aggressive use of tariffs. He said the U.S. economy was at its strongest from 1870 to 1913, a time when the country relied heavily on tariffs and had no income tax. “Then in 1913, some genius came up with the idea of let’s charge the people of our country, not foreign countries that are ripping off our country,” he added.
As it stands, Trump’s position is firm: unless the EU agrees to buy $350 billion of U.S. energy, the tariffs will stay.
