Connect with us

Business

EU will respond firmly to US tariffs but still open to ‘compromise,’ German chancellor says

Published

on



German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Sunday said the EU would respond firmly to tariffs announced by US President Donald Trump but stressed the bloc was also open to compromise.

“It is clear that we, as the European Union… will react clearly and decisively to the United States’ tariff policy,” Scholz said ahead of the opening of a trade fair in Hanover.

But the bloc was “always and at all times firmly prepared to work for compromise and cooperation”, he said.

“I say to the US: Europe’s goal remains cooperation. But if the US leaves us no choice, as with the tariffs on steel and aluminum, we will respond as a united European Union,” Scholz said.

Trump has announced sweeping tariffs on the United States’ allies and adversaries, including a 25-percent levy on auto imports starting next week.

A 25-percent US tariff on steel and aluminium from around the world came into effect in mid-March, with EU countermeasures set to begin in April.

As a major car manufacturer and exporter, Germany could be hit particularly hard by the auto tariffs and they were the subject of a visit to Washington by Finance Minister Joerg Kukies last week.

Germany has vowed a tough response to the tariffs, with a government spokesman insisting that “nothing is off the table”.

However, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni struck a more conciliatory tone on Saturday, calling for a “reasoned” approach to the escalating dispute.

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen also previously said she “deeply” regretted the US auto tariffs and the EU would “continue to seek negotiated solutions”.

Scholz on Sunday also insisted Canada was an independent country, responding to repeated comments by Trump that it should become the 51st US state.

“Canada is a proud, independent nation, Canada has friends all over the world and especially here in Germany and Europe,” he said at the Hanover trade fair.

Canada is a special guest at the event, which officially opens on Monday.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com



Source link

Continue Reading

Business

Insurance company Meanwhile raises $40 million from Framework and Fulgur Ventures

Published

on



© 2025 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.



Source link

Continue Reading

Business

The Biden administration gave TSMC billions to build its semiconductors in the U.S., but Trump says he threatened 100% tariffs and got the company to double down

Published

on



  • President Trump said during an event Tuesday that chipmaker TSMC pledged an additional $100 billion to build semiconductors in the U.S. after he threatened the company with tariffs of up to 100%. The company had already pledged $65 billion to make chips in the U.S. and received a $6.6 billion subsidy under the Biden administration that Trump has criticized.

Chipmaker TSMC promised to make more semiconductors in the U.S. thanks in part to Biden era incentives, but Trump says the company doubled down after he threatened it with 100% tariffs.

President Trump, during a Republican National Congressional Committee event Tuesday, criticized former President Biden’s decision to award TSMC $6.6 billion in grants as part of the 2022 CHIPS and Science Act to support semiconductor factories in Phoenix. The move was finalized just before Biden’s term ended. TSMC pledged $65 billion in funding from TSMC.

In March, TSMC, in conjunction with Trump, announced an additional $100 billion investment to make chips in the U.S. and the president emphasized that the deal was closed without offering stimulus.

“All I did is say, ‘If you don’t build your plant here, you are going to pay a big tax— 25, maybe 50, maybe 75, maybe 100%,'” Trump said during the event.

TSMC declined to comment to Fortune.

Trump has previously criticized giving government subsidies to businesses even though he sought to bring TSMC to the country during his first administration. Since returning to the White House, the president has tried to scrap the $52.7 billion CHIPS Act, to the protest of some Republican senators whose states have benefited from the funding. 

“These chip companies are loaded. They give these companies billions of dollars to build a plant in the United States. They don’t build them in the US,” Trump said Tuesday.

On Wednesday, Trump announced a 90-day pause on the steep “Liberation Day” tariffs the president instituted last week, replacing them with a 10% base tariff on all countries except for China. 

Although there was an exemption for semiconductors, the now-paused tariffs put a 32% tax on Taiwan, where most of the world’s semiconductors are produced. Still, manufactured chips that are installed in electronics abroad are still subject to the tariffs that apply to the country from which they are exported.

Trump has previously threatened other companies, including manufacturer John Deere. On the campaign trail Trump said he would hit the manufacturer with 200% tariffs unless it stopped plans to move some of its production from the Midwest to Mexico. During his first administration, Trump went after General Motors, threatening to cut its federal subsidies after the company said it would close some of its U.S. plants.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com



Source link

Continue Reading

Business

Goldman Sachs pulled its recession call moments after Trump pressed pause on tariffs. Moody’s chief economist isn’t convinced: ‘I take no solace in the president’s announcement’

Published

on

© 2025 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.



Source link

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © Miami Select.