Initial reactions to Trump's tariff hammer "Day of liberation" is more of a "day of inflation"
The wave of new tariffs is the most aggressive step in US President Donald Trump's trade policy to date. The first reactions to the measure.
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- The mega tariff package announced by President Donald Trump on Wednesday does not affect all of the USA's trading partners equally.
- In addition to the ten percent that is to apply to imports from all countries into the United States, there are individual penalties - depending on whether the respective countries have particularly high trade barriers for American products from the US perspective.
- Below you will find reactions from Switzerland, Italy, Australia, the EU, Trump's former vice president and others.
US President Donald Trump is initiating a change in global trade policy with massive tariff increases. From April 5, the USA will impose an excessively heavy tariff of 31% on Switzerland, compared to 20% for the EU. But for many other countries, higher penalties will apply depending on the trade deficit. In principle, this means that the USA will raise its tariffs proportionately in all areas where, according to the US government, it currently supposedly charges less than its trading partners.
Here are the initial reactions to the measures announced by Trump in the White House Rose Garden on Wednesday evening (local time):
Economiesuisse calls for further escalation to be prevented
Trump announced tariffs of 31 percent on Swiss exports. The tariffs are a reaction to the 61 percent tariffs that Switzerland imposes on US products, Trump said. The Republican presented a table on which Switzerland was also listed.
Following the announcement of US tariffs on Swiss exports, the Swiss business umbrella organization Economiesuisse called on the Swiss government to prevent a further escalation. According to the association, there are no comprehensible reasons for the tariffs from an economic perspective. The escalation in trade policy represents a "serious burden" for the Swiss export industry, Economiesuisse wrote in a statement published on Platform X on Thursday night.
The new US tariffs would not only make Swiss exports more expensive, but also weaken the competitiveness of companies and negatively impact the investment climate. This is happening at a time when export prospects in other sales markets have already deteriorated, the association wrote. The USA is still Switzerland's most important export market, ahead of Germany.
The Federal Council and Swiss economic diplomacy are called upon to find solutions quickly at the negotiating table with the US government. Switzerland has good economic arguments on its side, Economiesuisse wrote. "Switzerland's import tariffs are already significantly lower overall than those of the USA," it said in the statement. If services as well as goods were taken into account, the result would be "almost balanced trade" between Switzerland and the US.
President of the Swiss Confederation: "Takes note of customs decisions"
President Karin Keller-Sutter reacted immediately to the announced tariffs on Swiss exports to the USA on Elon Musk's Platform X. She wrote that the Federal Council "takes note" of the US customs decisions. The Federal Council will quickly determine the next steps. The country's long-term economic interests are paramount. "Loyalty to international law and free trade remain core values," Keller-Sutter continued.
Von der Leyen: "Serious blow for the global economy"
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen sharply criticized the announced tariffs. She announced corresponding reactions. The new tariffs are a "serious blow to the global economy", said von der Leyen on Thursday during a visit to the Uzbek city of Samarkand. She "deeply" regretted the decision and added that it was "not too late" for negotiations. However, Europe was "ready to react".
"We are now preparing for further countermeasures to protect our interests and our companies if the negotiations fail," said the top politician. In trade matters, the EU Commission has the authority to speak for the member states.
Giorgia Meloni: Trump's tariffs are "wrong"
Italy's head of government Giorgia Meloni, who is actually close to Trump, expressed her criticism. She called the new tariffs "wrong". The tariff package announced by Trump benefits neither the USA nor Europe, Meloni wrote in a post on social media. "We will do everything in our power to work towards an agreement with the US, with the aim of preventing a trade war that would inevitably weaken the West in favor of other global players," the Italian head of government stated. "In any case, we will act, as always, in the interests of Italy and the Italian economy and will also exchange views with other European partners", she added.
Ireland urges EU to respond "proportionately"
Ireland urged the European Union (EU) to respond in a "proportionate" manner. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had previously announced a "strong plan" in response to Trump. In trade matters, the EU Commission has the authority to speak for the member states. Criticism also came from the UK and Australia.
Criticism from German business associations
Trump's announcements are causing concern worldwide - including in the German economy. The President of the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), Hildegard Müller, described the US President's tariff announcement as a fundamental cut in trade policy. "It is the US turning away from the rules-based global trade order - and thus turning away from the basis for global value creation and corresponding growth and prosperity in many regions of the world. This is not America first, this is America alone". The USA's protectionism will only produce losers - in the USA too. The tariffs could fuel inflation and drive up consumer prices, says Müller.
German Chemical Industry Association: "Keep a cool head"
The German Chemical Industry Association (VCI) also regrets the move, but warns against further escalating the incipient trade war with the USA. "Now is the time for everyone involved to keep a cool head," says VCI Managing Director Wolfgang Grosse Entrup.
EPP leader Weber: "Not a day of liberation, but a day of bitterness"
Manfred Weber, President of the European People's Party (EPP) in the European Parliament, believes Europe is ready to defend its interests in the trade dispute with the USA. "For our American friends, today is not a day of liberation, but a day of bitterness," writes the CSU politician on Platform X. Donald Trump's tariffs were damaging both sides of the Atlantic. "Europe stands united, is ready to defend its interests and is open to fair, determined talks."
The Chairman of the Trade Committee in the European Parliament expects serious negative consequences from US President Donald Trump's new tariff decisions. "These unjustified, illegal and disproportionate measures can only lead to further escalation and a downward economic spiral for the US and the world as a whole," said German SPD politician Bernd Lange. Trump may speak of a "day of liberation", but from the perspective of the average citizen it is more of a "day of inflation". The heaviest burden in a trade war would fall on consumers in the USA.
With regard to possible responses to Trump's tariff policy, Lange said: "All affected countries must react as one and send a clear message to the USA to put an end to this tariff madness." As the EU, we will now examine which instruments in the toolbox are best suited. It is then to be hoped that the arguments and determination of the response will provide sufficient incentive to bring the USA to the negotiating table.
EU: Rather a "day of inflation"
The Chairman of the Trade Committee in the European Parliament expects serious negative consequences from US President Donald Trump's new tariff decisions. "These unjustified, illegal and disproportionate measures can only lead to further escalation and a downward economic spiral for the US and the world as a whole," said German SPD politician Bernd Lange. Trump may speak of a "day of liberation", but from the perspective of the average citizen it is more of a "day of inflation". The heaviest burden in a trade war would fall on consumers in the USA.
"These broad-based tariffs will only make processes and production even more inefficient," explained Lange. The measures would cause damaging uncertainty for the investment climate. The development on the stock markets could hardly be clearer.
With regard to the possible responses to Trump's tariff policy, Lange said: "All affected countries must react as one and send a clear message to the USA to put an end to this tariff madness." As the EU, we will now examine which instruments in the toolbox are best suited.
"Now I understand where these fake tariffs come from"
How the US government came up with such high tariffs was initially a mystery to observers. Trump argued that only half of the tariffs that the other side had imposed on American exporters were being charged. Switzerland does not consistently impose the 61% tariff on imports from the USA that is listed on Trump's table.
As the "Neue Zürcher Zeitung" writes, independent observers such as the US journalist James Surowiecki found when doing the maths that the tariff rates have nothing to do with reciprocity. Trump's team had simply divided the trade deficit of the respective country by the bilateral trade volume. This figure was referred to as the counterparty's implicit tariff. It was then divided again by two and the result was the fixed tariff rate for the respective country.
Australia: Does not participate in "undercutting competition"
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said that the United States' decision to impose 10 percent tariffs on Australia had "no logical basis" and that a genuine reciprocal tariff would have been zero percent. "This is not how a friend acts," said Albanese, who is in the middle of an election campaign. Nevertheless, the Prime Minister declared that Australia would not immediately respond by introducing retaliatory tariffs and promised that his country would not "participate in a race to the bottom" that would lead to higher prices and slower growth.
Former Vice President Pence criticizes Trump's tariff plans
Former US Vice President Mike Pence is not a supporter of US President Donald Trump's new tariff package. Pence criticized the plans on Wednesday: "The Trump tariffs are the largest peacetime tax increase in US history," he wrote on X. The tariffs are almost ten times higher than those introduced during Trump's first term in office, when Pence himself was Vice President. The tariffs "will cost American families over 3,500 dollars a year," Pence wrote.
Pence was once one of Trump's most important supporters. The two have been at odds since Pence refused to comply with Trump's demands when he tried to ignore the Constitution and overturn Joe Biden's election victory in 2020.
China threatens Trump with countermeasures
China is threatening the US with countermeasures following the announcement of further tariffs. The People's Republic has taken note of the announcement of reciprocal tariffs and firmly rejects them, the Ministry of Commerce announced.
Prior to the announcement, the USA had already imposed 20 percent tariffs on goods from China, the world's second-largest economy, to which Beijing responded with its own measures. Now the People's Republic will be hit with additional surcharges of 34 percent, which will increase the total tariff burden for many products from the Far East to more than 50 percent.
The reciprocal tariffs, which are based on "subjective and one-sided assessments by the USA", are not in line with international trade rules, criticized the Ministry of Commerce. "Rights and interests of the affected parties" were being undermined and it was a "typically one-sided form of harassment". The authority called on the US government to lift its tariffs immediately and resolve differences through dialog.