A former Irish Ambassador has said the European Union should wait to negotiate until the US economy suffers from the White House's new protectionist policies.
Yesterday, Donald Trump announced all imports from the bloc would face a 20% tariff, something the Taoiseach has warned will put Irish jobs at risk.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said Brussels is “finalising a first package of countermeasures in response to tariffs on steel”, but added that she hopes a negotiated agreement can be reached.
On Newstalk Breakfast, former Ambassador to the United States Dan Mulhall said the EU is “doing the right thing” by pausing to consider an “irrational situation”.
“Donald Trump says Europe imposes 39% tariffs on the United States - it doesn’t,” he said.
“So, I don’t know how you can negotiate this situation where claims are being made on the American side that simply can’t be stood up.
“This is not a reciprocal tariff response.
“How do you negotiate with people who won’t see sense?”
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 3, 2025
Mr Mulhall said there is still a chance that Mr Trump might reconsider his actions in the coming days and weeks.
“I think it’s wise for the EU to bide its time, to think about [it] and watch the markets to see how they respond and what pressure might be generated internally by the United States,” he said.
“What they’ve done is they’ve taken a sledgehammer to the global trading system.
“Basically, since the Second World War, there’s been a kind of gradual freeing up of global trade.
“And now the Americans have turned their backs on that and imposed these swinging tariffs.”
Larry Summers, a former US Secretary of the Treasury under Bill Clinton, has predicted the tariffs could push the American economy into a recession.
Such news might make the White House reconsider.
“I think the EU has to wait for the moment when it’s most effective to announce its retaliatory measures,” Mr Mulhall said.
“Don’t implement them for a month or so; give time for a negotiation to take place.
“Ultimately, a negotiation will only take place when the Americans see negative consequences coming their way down the tracks for them.
“I don’t think they’re going to negotiate out of the goodness of their hearts.”
Last year, Ireland exported €73 billion worth of goods to the United States.
Main image: Taoiseach Micheál Martin with US President Donald Trump. Picture by: RollingNews.ie
