Trump Demands $350B EU Energy Purchase in Exchange for Tariff Relief

Trump rejects EU's offer to eliminate car and industrial tariffs.

Trump Demands $350B EU Energy Purchase in Exchange for Tariff Relief

DECK
In a heated press conference, Trump rebuffs EU's zero-tariff offer, insisting on massive energy imports to erase trade imbalance.

KEY FACTS 

• What: Trump rejects EU's offer to eliminate car and industrial tariffs.

• Where: White House, Washington, D.C.

• When: Monday evening press conference.

• Why: U.S. trade deficit with EU cited at $350 billion.

• How: Trump demands EU buy $350B in U.S. energy.

• Response: Markets slump globally; European stocks hit post-pandemic lows.

SITUATION SNAPSHOT
Under the glinting lights of the White House press room, President Trump took the podium alongside Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and delivered an emphatic message to Europe. The American president dismissed Brussels’ tariff proposal, instead demanding a sweeping energy commitment to offset trade deficits and gain tariff exemptions.

WHAT WE KNOW
The European Commission, led by Ursula von der Leyen, had extended an offer to eliminate tariffs on U.S. cars and industrial products in hopes of avoiding further trade escalation. However, President Trump deemed the gesture insufficient.

He emphasized that the U.S. goods trade deficit with the EU—pegged at $350 billion—must be addressed directly.

'We have a deficit with the European Union of $350 billion and it's gonna disappear fast,' Trump stated. 'One of the ways that that can disappear easily and quickly is they're gonna have to buy our energy from us ... they can buy it, we can knock off $350 billion in one week. They have to buy and commit to buy a like amount of energy.'

The president’s remarks followed the imposition of 20% tariffs on European goods and at least 10% on other global trading partners just last week. The financial fallout was immediate—global markets dipped sharply, with European stocks seeing their worst single-day performance since the early Covid-19 era.

WHAT’S NEXT 
Diplomatic responses from EU leaders are expected in the coming days. Trade analysts anticipate intensified negotiations, potentially focusing on LNG purchases and regulatory alignment. A follow-up press briefing from the European Commission is likely by midweek.

VOICES ON THE GROUND 
'No, it's not,' Trump flatly replied when asked if von der Leyen’s offer met his expectations.

'A lot of people say, "Oh, it doesn't mean anything having a surplus." It means a lot, in my opinion. It's almost like a profit or loss statement,' he added.

Later, addressing trade partners more broadly, Trump said: 'There can be permanent tariffs and there can also be negotiations, because there are things we need beyond tariffs.'

He continued: 'If we can make a really fair deal and a good deal for the United States, not a good deal for others, this is America first. It's now America first.'

CONTEXT 
This isn’t the first time the Trump administration has floated energy deals as a mechanism to correct trade imbalances. Talks on increased European purchases of American liquefied natural gas have circulated since Trump's reelection, although clarity on terms has been sparse.

Trump also criticized EU product safety standards, labeling them 'non-monetary tariffs' that hinder U.S. exports.

'It's tariffs where they put things on where they make it impossible for you to sell a car ... they make it so difficult, the standards and the tests,' Trump said. 'They come up with rules and regulations that are just designed for one reason: that you can't sell your product in those countries. And we're not gonna let that happen. Those are called non-monetary barriers.'

Looking back historically, Trump tied his aggressive tariff stance to a period of economic strength in U.S. history.

'You know our country was the strongest from 1870 to 1913,' he said. 'You know why? It was all tariff-based. We had no income tax. Then in 1913, some genius came up with the idea of let's charge the people of our country, not foreign countries that are ripping off our country.'

REPORTER INSIGHT
From the Oval Office to the global stock floor, the ripple effects of Monday's press briefing are palpable. While the EU attempts diplomacy through trade concessions, the U.S. president appears set on rewriting the rules of international commerce—one energy deal at a time.