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 critical areas such as autos and steel, and President Trump has already announced new tariffs. Therefore uncertainty remains” Klingbeil told the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung”. He added that these tariffs harm both sides of the Atlantic, with U.S. consumers bearing the cost of the highest prices.
“We will continue to build new trade relationships worldwide, negotiate free‑trade agreements, protect our industry, and strengthen Europe’s independence and sovereignty” Klingbeil said. He sees the European Union making good progress in the conflict.
“As Trump threatened to impose tariffs over the Greenland issue, we Europeans presented a clear, united front that forced the President to back down. We must keep that stance. I want to make Europe strong enough that nobody can blackmail us” Klingbeil told the FAZ.