TRADE DEALS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump extended his threats of action against America’s trading partners, this time hinting at major retaliation against the European Union for what he described as its ‘very unfair’ trade policy toward the U.S.
Mr. Trump has repeatedly complained about global trading arrangements that he says discriminate against the U.S. and has threatened steps that have fanned anxieties around the world about U.S. protectionism and the possibility it could set off a global trade war.
His comments about the EU come days after he imposed steep tariffs on imports of solar panels and washing machines, a move aimed mainly at curbing imports from Asia.
They were the first of what administration officials said would be a series of trade-enforcement actions in the coming months… The EU’s executive branch—the European Commission—didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Mr. Trump has frequently criticized multilateral trade agreements, and suggested he favored bilateral deals, while expressing concern about America’s trade deficits with other countries.”
-Wiktor Szary and Emre Peker, “President Trump Hints at Retaliation Against EU for Unfair Trade Policies,” The Wall Street Journal online, Jan. 28, 2018 06:09pm