EU/TRADE WAR/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump said on Thursday [7-19-18] that the European Union’s $5 billion antitrust fine on Alphabet Inc.’s Google is evidence that the bloc has ‘taken advantage of the U.S.,’ and suggested that change is on the way…The fine on Google and Mr. Trump’s sharp response come amid a growing trade battle between the U.S. and EU over what Mr. Trump says are unfair trade practices. Mr. Trump has repeatedly threatened auto tariffs on top of the steel and aluminum tariffs imposed earlier this year if European leaders cannot come to a fair agreement with the U.S. On Wednesday, Mr. Trump threatened ‘tremendous retribution’ if his meeting with EU officials next week doesn’t yield a fair auto-trade deal. Mr. Trump said recently he considers the EU ‘a foe’ on trade, but invited European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker to visit the White House next Wednesday. Nations hit by new U.S. tariffs—from Mexico to China—have launched countermeasures of their own, which so far target $24 billion worth of American-made goods, a figure that is set to increase. Mr. Trump has justified the tariffs on national-security grounds.”
-Vivian Salama, “Trump Blasts EU’s Fine on Google,” The Wall Street Journal, July 19, 2018 10:52 am