Trump says ‘there’ll be a trade deal, 100%’ with the EU

Washington (dpa) – US President Donald Trump expressed “100%” confidence in reaching “a trade deal” in the ongoing tariff dispute with the European Union as he met Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at the White House in Washington on Thursday.

“Oh, there’ll be a trade deal, 100%,” Trump said.

He was responding to a journalist’s question about what would happen if there was no agreement at the end of the 90-day pause he had set.

“What, you think there won’t be … of course there will be a trade deal. Very much they want to make one, very, very much. And we’re going to make a trade deal. I fully expect it, but it’ll be a fair deal.”

Trump’s definitive tone follows a familiar pattern as he often makes clear statements like these, likely to exert pressure on negotiating partners.

Last week, following significant turbulence in the stock and financial markets, Trump unexpectedly decided to grant many countries, including the EU, a 90-day pause from certain tariffs.

These tariffs are punitive and based on the trade deficit of the respective countries, with China being an exception.

With this decision, Trump temporarily put part of his extensive tariff package on hold. The EU also announced it would suspend planned retaliatory tariffs on US products for 90 days. (17 April)