President Trump on Sunday refused to back down on his administration’s tariffs against U.S. allies, arguing that the European Union is “as bad as China” in its trade policies.
Trump appeared on Fox News’s “Sunday Morning Futures,” where host Maria Bartiromo asked if he’d considered teaming up with U.S. allies to combat China’s trade policies.
“The European Union is possibly as bad as China, just smaller. It’s terrible what they do to us,” Trump said.
{mosads}
“I love those countries, Germany, and all of the countries. Scotland. … But they treat us very badly. They treat us very unfairly,” he added, noting that “my parents were born in the European Union.”
Trump’s mother was born in the United Kingdom, while his father was born in New York City.
Trump continued to rail against American trade deficits with other countries, arguing that each of those nations should be subject to tariffs, regardless of broader alliances.
The president has attracted widespread criticism from Republicans, Democrats and international leaders over his decision to enact steep tariffs on imports of steel, aluminum and other products from the European Union, Canada, Mexico and other countries.
The Trump administration’s policy has prompted other nations to implement retaliatory tariffs, raising concerns of a global trade war.
Trump has repeatedly doubled down on the policy, claiming that it will eventually prompt other leaders to come to the bargaining table.