Donald Trump Threatens Europe: 'Buy Oil and Gas from US, or Face Tariffs'

Donald Trump has issued a stern warning to the European Union, demanding that it buy more oil and gas from the United States or face heavy tariffs. Just weeks before his inauguration as the next US President, Trump emphasized the need to reduce the trade imbalance between the US and the EU, which he called "tremendous."

Writing on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump declared, “The European Union must make up their tremendous deficit with the United States by purchasing large quantities of our oil and gas—otherwise, it is TARIFFS all the way!” His use of capital letters highlighted the seriousness of his threat.

According to US government data, the trade deficit between the US and the EU stood at $202.5 billion in 2022. American imports from EU countries totaled $553.3 billion, while exports to the EU were $350.8 billion. Trump has called for immediate action to address this imbalance and believes tariffs are the best solution.

This isn’t the first time Trump has targeted Europe. During his previous presidency, he accused European nations of relying on the US for defense funding through NATO and warned that he would cut excess US contributions unless Europe paid its share.

Trump has also extended his tariff threats beyond Europe, targeting major US trading partners like China, Mexico, and Canada. He has already announced a 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico and a 10% tariff on Chinese goods.

In response, the European Union has been exploring alternatives. Recently, the EU signed a significant free trade agreement with South American countries Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay. This deal, benefiting 700 million people, was seen as a move to reduce dependency on the US.

European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, without naming Trump, described the agreement as a "trade bridge" and criticized the growing trend of isolationism in global trade.

Whether Trump's tariff strategy will "make America great again" or create new challenges for the US remains to be seen. His bold approach has sparked global debate on the future of trade relations.