Bundesfinanzminister Lars Klingbeil (SPD) does not expect the Supreme Court’s customs ruling to permanently ease the trade dispute with the United States.
“Despite the ruling, sector‑specific tariffs still exist in key areas such as automotive and steel. And Trump has already announced new tariffs. Therefore uncertainty remains high” Klingbeil told the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung”. He added that the tariffs had harmed economies on both sides of the Atlantic, with the greatest impact on American consumers who are likely to bear the highest costs.
“Our response remains the same: we’re building new trade partnerships worldwide, concluding free‑trade agreements, protecting our industry, and strengthening Europe’s independence and sovereignty” he said. Klingbeil sees the European Union on a positive trajectory in this conflict. “When Trump threatened tariffs over Greenland, we Europeans were so clear and united that the president wavered. We need to maintain that stance. I want Europe to be so strong that no one can blackmail us” he told the FAZ.
