Trump turns up the heat on Asia: Demands EU slap massive tariffs on China and India
trump-turns-up-the-heat-on-asia-demands-eu-slap-massive-tariffs-on-china-and-india
#Trump #turns #heat #Asia #Demands #slap #massive #tariffs #China #India,
INTERNATIONAL: US President Donald Trump has called on the European Union to fix tariffs as high as 100% on products from China and India. A high-ranking White House official said this petition came during a conference in Washington on Tuesday, where US and EU officials discussed how to put more economic pressure on Moscow.
According to recent reports from The Guardian, Trump’s new proposal is meant to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin to stop the war in Ukraine. According to one official, the US is prepared to act quickly, but only if European allies agree to take similar steps.
This push comes as Trump grows frustrated with stalled peace efforts, including a recent summit with Putin in Alaska. At the same time, Russian drone attacks have increased, with Ukrainian officials reporting the largest aerial assault since the war started.
Geopolitical alliances deepen as US escalates trade tensions
Trump’s call for tariffs comes after a recent summit in China, where Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi showed unity. Their closer relationship has caused concern in Washington.
Last month, the US set 50% tariffs on Indian imports because India kept buying Russian oil, showing that tensions are rising even with close allies. Still, Trump has tried to balance this pressure with diplomacy. On Truth Social, he highlighted ongoing trade talks with India and said he was hopeful about an upcoming conversation with Modi.
“I feel certain that there will be no difficulty in coming to a successful conclusion for both of our Great Countries,” he wrote.
EU sanctions chief David O’Sullivan led the bloc’s participation in this week’s talks, alongside senior US Treasury officials. While no immediate decisions were announced, the discussions highlight a growing urgency to counter Russia’s influence through coordinated economic measures.
In a parallel move, Mexico announced it would raise tariffs on Chinese and other Asian-made automobiles from 20% to 50%, citing the need to protect domestic jobs—a signal that global trade tensions are escalating far beyond the US-Russia-China triangle.
Legal storm clouds gather over Trump’s tariff legacy
As Trump pushes for more aggressive trade policies, the legal foundation of his previous tariff actions is under threat. In May, a US trade court ruled that many of the tariffs enacted during his presidency exceeded presidential authority. That ruling was upheld by a federal appeals court in August, and now, the matter is headed to the Supreme Court, with a hearing expected in early November.
Despite the uncertainty, current US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent remains confident the administration will prevail. “We would have to give a refund on about half the tariffs, which would be terrible for the treasury,” Bessent said in a weekend interview on Meet the Press, warning that a loss could cost the US government tens of billions of dollars.
Legal experts remain divided, and the outcome of the court case could significantly impact future US trade plans of action—possibly undercutting Trump’s capability of using tariffs as a geopolitical instrument in future negotiations.
As diplomatic strain escalates and the legal system weighs in, the destiny of Trump’s combative tariff scheme—and its latent ability to mould international coalitions—remains ambivalent.