Threat of US-EU trade war looms as Trump and top European official plan talks in Scotland
Trump continued his golfing weekend at his course in Turnberry on the southwest coast of Scotland with a group that included sons Eric and Donald Jr. and their wives.
The Republican president waved at reporters and listened to shouted questions about the prospect of reaching a European Union deal during his private afternoon meeting with von der Leyen, but he offered no comment. Trump's five-day visit to Scotland is built around golf and promoting properties bearing his name.
A small group of protesters at Turnberry waved American flags and raised a sign criticizing British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who plans his own Turnberry meeting with Trump on Monday. Other voices could be heard cheering and chanting 'Trump! Trump!' as he played nearby.
On Tuesday, Trump will be in Aberdeen, in northeastern Scotland, where his family has another golf course and is opening a third next month. The president and his sons plan to help cut the ribbon on the new course.
Trump for months has threatened most of the world with steep tariffs in hopes of shrinking large U.S. trade deficits with many key trading partners. The EU has been no exception.
Trump has said 'we have a 50-50 chance, maybe less than that, but a 50-50 chance of making a deal with the EU.' He also suggested that any deal would have to 'buy down' the currently scheduled tariff rate of 30% on the bloc of 27 member states.
The U.S. and EU seemed close to a deal earlier this month, but Trump instead threatened a 30% tariff rate. Trump's original deadline has passed, delayed until at least Friday.
Without a deal, the EU says it is prepared to retaliate with tariffs on hundreds of American products, ranging from beef and auto parts to beer and Boeing airplanes.
If Trump eventually makes good on his threat of tariffs against Europe, it could make everything from French cheese and Italian leather goods to German electronics and Spanish pharmaceuticals more expensive in the United States.
Trump recently said he thought the odds of reaching a framework with Japan was 25%, but the allies announced an agreement this past week.
His focus on trade has followed him to Scotland. On Saturday, he posted on his Truth Social platform that he would block any trade deals between the U.S. and Cambodia and Thailand because of their violent clashes along long-disputed border areas.
Trump wrote that he spoke with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Phumtham Wechayachai, the acting prime minister of Thailand, to call for a ceasefire. Both countries, Trump said, want to 'get back to the 'Trading Table' with the United States, which we think is inappropriate to do until such time as the fighting STOPS. … When all is done, and Peace is at hand, I look forward to concluding our Trading Agreements with both!'
The U.S. and Britain, meanwhile, announced a trade framework in May and a larger agreement last month during the Group of Seven meeting in Canada. Trump says that deal is concluded and that he and Starmer will discuss other matters, though the White House has suggested it still needs some polishing.
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