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Irish Examiner
3 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Trump tells Europe to ‘get your act together' on immigration before US-EU trade talks
Intensive negotiations were continuing on Saturday between the EU and the US before a crunch meeting in Scotland between Donald Trump and the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, to avert a costly trade war. Trump spent the night at his family-owned Turnberry golf resort on a private visit, but took time to criticise European leaders over wind turbines and immigration, claiming there won't be a Europe unless they 'get their act together'. 'I say two things to Europe. Stop the windmills. You're ruining your countries. I really mean it, it's so sad. You fly over and you see these windmills all over the place, ruining your beautiful fields and valleys and killing your birds,' he said. 'On immigration, you better get your act together,' he said. 'You're not going to have Europe any more.' On Saturday morning, he abandoned a scheduled meeting with the press, who travelled with him on Air Force One, for a round of golf at his seaside course with music blaring from the buggy he drove. Sky News, stationed next to the course, reported the songs included Billy Joel's Uptown Girl, Elaine Paige's Memory and Simon and Garfunkel's Bridge over Troubled Water. Billed as a four-day family visit to Scotland, Trump is meeting European leaders and the British prime minister, Keir Starmer, raising hopes of new and refined trade deals with the EU and the UK. People take part in a Stop Trump Scotland protest outside the US Consulate in Edinburgh, as US President Donald Trump begins his five-day private trip to the country at his Turnberry golf course in South Ayrshire. Picture: Jane Barlow/PA Wire On the prospects of an EU trade deal, the US president has said there were '20 sticking points'. When asked what they were, he said: 'Well, I don't want to tell you what the sticking points are.' He described von der Leyen as a 'highly respected woman' and said the meeting on Sunday with the EU chief would be 'good', rating the chances of a deal as 'a good 50-50'. It is understood von der Leyen and her aides will fly in on Saturday, with the European trade commissioner, Maroš Šefčovič, arriving on Sunday morning. It is expected the deal will centre on an outline agreement in principle over 15% tariff rates for exports including cars, but with a 50% tariff continuing on steel. There may also be a breakthrough deal on pharmaceuticals, setting a rate of 15% for exports. Although this would breach a longstanding World Trade Organization agreement that medicines are rated at a zero tariff, it would be a far cry from the 200% tariff Trump threatened to impose on pharmaceuticals earlier this month. People take part in a Stop Trump Scotland protest outside the US Consulate in Edinburgh, as US President Donald Trump begins his five-day private trip to the country at his Turnberry golf course in South Ayrshire. Picture: Jane Barlow/PA Wire This would have triggered a highly damaging trade war not just with Ireland, where many US multinationals are based, but Germany, Denmark, Belgium, France and Spain. Read More Israeli air strikes in Gaza Strip leave at least 25 dead, health officials say Von der Leyen's spokesperson, Paula Pinho, said: 'Intensive negotiations at technical and political [level] have been ongoing between the EU and US. Leaders will now take stock and consider the scope for a balanced outcome that provides stability and predictability for businesses and consumers on both sides of the Atlantic.' It is believed the meeting will be held in Aberdeenshire and will be followed by a series of meetings with Starmer on Monday, with hopes he will widen the bare bones trade deal he struck in May. Trump's arrival in Scotland has required the biggest security operation since Elizabeth II died in 2022. More than 5,000 police and security personnel are involved in the four-day visit with no risks taken after the assassination attempt on the president a year ago. High perimeter fences have been erected around the coastal golf course with naval vessels patrolling the shore while security drones overhead and dozens of security detail staked out the resort early on Saturday. The heavy security presence may be a foretaste of events to come later in August when the US vice-president, JD Vance, and his family arrive for a holiday in the Cotswolds, reportedly in the village of Charlbury. Locals who resisted the expansion of Trump's golf course in the past have asked who would be footing the bill for the security arrangements. - The Guardian
Irish Times
4 hours ago
- Irish Times
‘Get your act together': Donald Trump tells Europe to address immigration
Intensive negotiations are continuing on Saturday between the EU and the US before a crunch meeting in Scotland between Donald Trump and the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen , to avert a costly trade war. Trump spent the night at his family-owned Turnberry golf resort on a private visit, but took time to criticise European leaders over wind turbines and immigration claiming there won't be a Europe unless they 'get their act together'. 'I say two things to Europe. Stop the windmills. You're ruining your countries. I really mean it, it's so sad. You fly over and you see these windmills all over the place, ruining your beautiful fields and valleys and killing your birds,' he said. 'On immigration, you better get your act together,' he said. 'You're not going to have Europe anymore.' READ MORE US president Donald Trump waves as he drives a golf buggy the Trump Turnberry golf courses, in Turnberry on the south west coast of Scotland on July 26th, 2025. Photograph: AFP via Getty Images On Saturday morning, he abandoned a scheduled meeting with the press, who travelled with him on Air Force One, for a round of golf at his seaside course with music blaring from the buggy he drove. Sky News, stationed next to the course, reported the songs included Billy Joel's Uptown Girl, Elaine Paige's Memory and Simon and Garfunkel's Bridge over Troubled Water. Billed as a four-day family visit to Scotland, Trump is meeting European leaders and the British prime minister, Keir Starmer, raising hopes of new and refined trade deals with the EU and the UK. [ Epstein saga has exposed cracks in Maga movement which could fatally undermine Donald Trump Opens in new window ] On the prospects of an EU trade deal, the US president has said there were '20 sticking points'. When asked what they were, he said: 'Well, I don't want to tell you what the sticking points are.' He described von der Leyen as a 'highly respected woman' and said the meeting on Sunday with the EU chief would be 'good', rating the chances of a deal as 'a good 50-50'. It is understood von der Leyen and her aides will fly in on Saturday, with the European trade commissioner, Maroš Šefčovič, arriving on Sunday morning. It is expected the deal will centre on an outline agreement in principle over 15% tariff rates for exports including cars, but with a 50% tariff continuing on steel. There may also be a breakthrough deal on pharmaceuticals, setting a rate of 15% for exports. Although this would breach a longstanding World Trade Organisation agreement that medicines are rated at a zero tariff, it would be a far cry from the 200 per cent tariff Trump threatened to impose on pharmaceuticals earlier this month. This would have triggered a highly damaging trade war not just with Ireland, where many US multinationals are based, but Germany, Denmark, Belgium, France and Spain. Von der Leyen's spokesperson, Paula Pinho, said: 'Intensive negotiations at technical and political [level] have been ongoing between the EU and US. Leaders will now take stock and consider the scope for a balanced outcome that provides stability and predictability for businesses and consumers on both sides of the Atlantic.' It is believed the meeting will be held in Aberdeenshire and will be followed by a series of meetings with Starmer on Monday, with hopes he will widen the bare bones trade deal he struck in May. A major security operation surrounded the US president's golf round at the start of a five day long private visit to Scotland. A large number of police and military personnel have been spotted searching the grounds at the venue in South Ayrshire. Various road closures have been put in place, with limited access for both locals and members of the media. With no talks apparently scheduled for Saturday, the president – a well-known golf enthusiast – appears to be free to play the famous Turnberry course. However, protests have been planned, with opponents of Mr Trump expected to gather in both Edinburgh and Aberdeen later on Saturday and the Stop Trump coalition planning what it has described as being a 'festival of resistance'. As well as visiting Trump Turnberry, Mr Trump will head to Aberdeenshire later in his visit and is expected to open a second course at his golf resort in Balmedie. As he landed in Ayrshire on Friday, the president took questions from journalists, telling Europe to 'get your act together' on immigration, which he said was 'killing' the continent. He also praised Starmer, who he described as a 'good man', but added that the prime minister is 'slightly more liberal than I am'. Saturday will be the first real test of Police Scotland during the visit as it looks to control the demonstrations in Aberdeen and Edinburgh, as well as any which spring up near to the president's course. The force has asked for support from others around the UK to bolster officer numbers, with both organisations representing senior officers and the rank-and-file claiming there is likely to be an impact on policing across the country for the duration of the visit. Before the visit started, Mr Swinney appealed to Scots to protest 'peacefully and within the law'. - The Guardian and PA
Irish Examiner
5 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Decision on EU-US trade deal now rests with Trump
After months of intensive talks and shuttle diplomacy, a trade agreement between the European Union and the US now rests mostly on Donald Trump. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will travel to Scotland to meet the US president on Sunday, as the two sides aim to conclude a deal ahead of Friday's deadline, at which point 30% tariffs on the bloc's exports to the US are otherwise due to kick in. 'Intensive negotiations at technical and political have been ongoing,' said Paula Pinho, von der Leyen's spokesperson. 'Leaders will now take stock and consider the scope for a balanced outcome that provides stability and predictability for businesses and consumers on both sides of the Atlantic.' EU officials have repeatedly cautioned that a deal ultimately rests with Trump, making the final outcome difficult to predict. The US president recently negotiated with Japan and appeared to change certain final terms on the fly before a deal was eventually agreed earlier this week. The EU and US have been zeroing in on an agreement over the past week that would see the EU face 15% tariffs on most of its trade with the US. Limited exemptions are expected for aviation, some medical devices and generic medicines, several spirits, and a specific set of manufacturing equipment that the US needs. Steel and aluminum imports would likely benefit from a quota under the arrangements under discussion, but above that threshold they would face a higher tariff of 50%. Alongside a universal levy, the US president has hit cars and auto parts with a 25% levy, and steel and aluminum with double that. He's also threatened to target pharmaceuticals and semiconductors with new duties as early as next month, and recently announced a 50% tariff on copper. The EU is expecting the same 15% ceiling on some sectors that could be the target of future tariffs, including pharmaceuticals, according to people familiar with the matter. But that's one of the key points where Trump's position will be crucial to a deal being sealed, the people added. 'We'll see if we make a deal,' Trump said as he arrived in Scotland on Friday. 'Ursula will be here, highly respected woman. So we look forward to that.' Trump reiterated that he believed there's 'a 50-50 chance' of a deal with the EU, saying there were sticking points on 'maybe 20 different things' that he didn't want to detail publicly. 'That would be actually the biggest deal of them all if we make it,' the president said. Trump gave similar chances of an agreement with European negotiators before leaving Washington, but also said the EU had a 'pretty good chance' of reaching an agreement. The US president announced tariffs on almost all US trading partners in April, declaring his intent to bring back domestic manufacturing, pay for a massive tax-cut extension, and stop the rest of the world from — as Trump has characterized it — taking advantage of the US. In addition to levies, any agreement would cover non-tariff barriers, cooperation on economic security matters, and strategic purchases by the EU in sectors such as energy and artificial intelligence chips. The bloc has also offered to remove tariffs on many industrial goods and non-sensitive agricultural imports. The terms of any initial deal, which is likely to take the form of a short joint statement if agreed upon, would need to be approved by member states, some of the people said. The statement would be seen as a stepping stone toward more detailed talks. Because of the ongoing uncertainty, the EU has in parallel sketched out countermeasures in the event of a no-deal scenario. That would see it quickly hit American exports with up to 30% tariffs on some €100 billion worth of goods — including Boeing aircraft, US-made cars and bourbon whiskey — in the event of a no-deal, and if Trump carries through with his threat to impose that rate on most of the bloc's exports after Aug. 1 or in future. The package also includes some export restrictions on scrap metals. In a no-deal scenario, the bloc is also prepared to move forward with its anti-coercion instrument, a potent trade tool that would eventually allow it to target other areas such as market access, services and restrictions on public contracts, provided a majority of member states backs its use. While Trump didn't explicitly link negotiations to non-trade matters on Friday, he did suggest that he planned to raise concerns over migration flows. Trump has imposed strict anti-immigration policies since returning to office, carrying out a mass deportation effort of those in the US illegally while also narrowing pathways to legally move to the US. 'You got to stop this horrible invasion that's happening to Europe, many countries in Europe,' Trump said, adding that he believed 'this immigration is killing Europe.' Bloomberg
