The EU should take a “measured and strategic” approach in response to Donald Trump’s tariffs, rather than reacting impulsively, an Irish MEP has said, reports Breaking News.
Fine Gael MEP Maria Walsh told BreakingNews.ie that the US president’s announcement of new tariffs on ‘Liberation Day’ reminded her of a reality TV moment.
“It was like watching a scene out of The Apprentice with the big board open and him going through it line by line. It is comic in value, but the fact that we’re living through this in 2025 and a country that has paved the way for democracy and diplomacy as we know it, historically, is doing this is worrying We have to face the demons that are and sadly, this is what this Trump administration is,” reports Breaking News.
Ms Walsh said she agrees with the Irish Government’s decision to avoid retaliatory action for now.
“I’m with the the Irish Government in the sense that waiting to respond with measures is better than going down the route of tit for tat, which I don’t think will serve us well. It hasn’t served the American people to this point, and certainly won’t serve Europeans,” reports Breaking News.
Representing the Midlands–North-West constituency, Ms Walsh also raised concerns about how the trade deficit with Northern Ireland will affect local businesses.
Trump has introduced a 20 per cent tariff on EU products, while the rate on UK goods remains at 10 per cent, reports Breaking News.
She also warned that Irish pharmaceutical companies should stay alert for more policy changes from the US. Although initial announcements excluded pharmaceuticals, Walsh cautioned, “president Trump could change all that in 24 hours”.
She stressed the importance of unity among EU member states in responding to the US actions.
“We certainly need to make sure we’re collected and combined and that includes the likes of Viktor Orban and Hungary and other pro-Maga, pro-Russia governments in the EU. We just have to make sure we’re united as as much as possible. If you look at the economics of it, we are most impacted given our reliance on the likes of FDI companies and the border now,” reports Breaking News.
Ms Walsh also noted the implications for Ireland’s history and current politics.
“The fact that it wasn’t too long ago we we fought really hard against a hard border, and obviously generations before us, and this just complicates that and gives us a lot of a lot of headaches. It just created such a wealth of support for Brexiteers, which is another troubling issue if we look at the culture of which this Trump 2.0. Liberation Day has brought here. That is troubling because we have a growing anti-EU sentiment in Ireland. We still need to have a more balanced approach, making sure that we are being strategic in what we go back with and then ultimately listen,” reports Breaking News.
Walsh added that opportunities exist beyond the US market.
She said Trump is wrong to assume trade cannot thrive without America’s participation.
“I mean we have the Commission looking at India, Central Asia. We have the quite controversial Mercusor trade deal, we have Switzerland, Canada and Mexico. Now they’re more alienated by their closest neighbors. I’m looking at reports and it’s ‘Trump doesn’t believe that the trade can happen around America’, which it absolutely could,” reports Breaking News.
“Normal Mary and Joe Soaps feel this first in America and then we’ll feel this across the EU, which is incredibly difficult. To explain to people and businesses where in the EU, and particularly in Ireland, that you say you know, ‘here’s our response, here’s our measures’. We rely so heavily on on FDI, in particular pharmaceuticals. Bear in mind, pharmaceuticals still need a presence in Europe and about 60 per cent of their exports are for the European market. I don’t expect for them to shut up and and return tomorrow,” reports Breaking News.
She concluded by stressing the scale of transatlantic trade and how tariffs will impact companies.
“This will play out in terms of we have a lot of products that go back and forth. There is €4 billion in trade per day between the EU and US. To maybe start in the EU added on with materials, raw materials from the US come back, then the final product is sent back to the US or sold in the EU. When you add those 20 per cent tariffs up it will really impact companies,” reports Breaking News.
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