President Donald Trump referred to the European Union as “nastier than China” in Monday’s press briefing during the signing of an executive order aimed at lowering prescription drug prices.
What Happened: Trump called on Europeans to shoulder more financial responsibilities, especially in the healthcare sector. He maintained that the U.S. has the upper hand in trade agreements with the EU. “Oh, they’ll come down a lot. You watch. We have all the cards. They treat us very unfairly,” stated Trump as reported by Politico.
The President’s remarks represent a notable shift from his earlier praise of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, whom he had described as “fantastic” a few days before. Although she has met with several European leaders, von der Leyen has not yet confirmed a meeting with Trump, stating she would only do so if a “concrete” trade package could be negotiated.
Trump’s remarks about the EU were aimed at compelling pharmaceutical companies to sell medications in the U.S. at the lowest prices they charge in other countries.
“Europe’s going to have to pay a little bit more. The rest of the world is going to have to pay a little bit more,” he said, adding, “And America is going to pay a lot less.”
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Why It Matters: These remarks come amid rising tensions between the U.S. and the EU. Earlier this month, the EU announced plans to challenge the U.S.’s tariff policy at the World Trade Organization (WTO), proposing countermeasures worth €95 billion ($107.4 billion) if a trade deal with Washington fails to materialize.
Contrarily, U.S. Vice President JD Vance had recently emphasized the importance of unity between the U.S. and Europe, calling the talk of a divide “completely ridiculous”. His comments were made at the Munich Leaders Meeting in Washington, according to another.
Notably, Trump’s comments on the EU come a day after the U.S. and China agreed upon a 90-day tariff truce to de-escalate trade tensions.
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