Trump tariffs: 'A deal is a deal,' EU insists

Deutsche Welle

February 23, 2026

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The European Union (EU) has strongly reaffirmed its commitment to upholding a 2018 trade deal with the United States, despite President Donald Trump’s decision to increase global tariffs from 10% to 15%. This move by Trump comes after the U.S. Supreme Court blocked several of his emergency tariff measures, casting doubt over the ratification of the agreement. The EU has demanded that the U.S. provide "full clarity" on its next steps and ensure fair treatment for European companies, emphasizing the importance of predictability and legal certainty in international trade. The trade deal, finalized in July 2018, set tariffs at 15% on most EU exports to the U.S. and required the EU to purchase $750 billion worth of American energy products through 2028. However, the agreement has been on hold since Trump’s controversial push to have the U.S. take over Greenland, a territory of Denmark, an EU member state. The EU has now urged Washington to respect the terms of the deal, warning that the current situation undermines the

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Originally published on Deutsche Welle on 2/23/2026