Ursula von der Leyen's clear and direct response to Donald Trump's threat of triggering a trade war. "Unjustified tariffs on the EU will not go unanswered: they will trigger strong and proportionate countermeasures," warned the President of the European Commission to the U.S. President, after the magnate announced on Sunday night that he will impose a 25% duty on all aluminum and steel imported into his country.
Up to now, the EU had only indicated that it would act in the event of tariffs but that Europe had not yet received an official notification. Now, with the date of March 12 as the moment when the new duties will come into effect, Von der Leyen has taken a significant step within the Commission's standards and has directly threatened Trump.
"Tariffs are taxes: bad for businesses, worse for consumers. The EU will act to safeguard its economic interests. We will protect our workers, companies, and consumers," emphasized the President in a statement released this morning.
The text also deeply regrets the United States' decision to impose tariffs and ultimately clarifies the EU's stance on the trade war threatened by Trump: the Commission does not want to reach that point, but if the U.S. President insists, the Commission will respond. The strength and speed with which it can do so may be different and unlikely to match the U.S. level.
Meeting with the U.S. and Investment in AI
The publication also took place on the same day that Von der Leyen had her first meeting with the Trump Administration. Not with the president, but with Vice President James David Nance. It was within the framework of a global summit on AI held in Paris, and the Commission announced a new fund of 20 billion euros for the establishment of gigafactories in European territory.
This measure is also part of an initiative called InvestAI, with which the President hopes to mobilize up to 200 billion between public and private capital. The figure is undoubtedly significant and is part of Von der Leyen's goal for Europe to be one of the most advanced continents in terms of artificial intelligence.
However, the effort comes comparatively late, as while the European Commission is starting to move, China and the United States are already competing for AI leadership. Not only that, but in terms of funds, it is not the most ambitious package. Just a few days ago, Trump announced an investment of up to 500 billion dollars in Stargate, a joint project of the AI companies OpenAI, SoftBank, and Oracle with which the U.S. President aims to win the race against the Asian power.