Trump says that Canada, Mexico and China prices can provide “pain” – DW – 02/02/2025

German politicians from various parties reacted to Trump’s pricing strategy.

The candidate of the Conservative Union of the Christian Opposition (CDU) for the Chancellor and the apparent favorite during the election of the German Snap in February, Friedrich Merz, expressed his concern about them. “Prices have never been a good idea to resolve commercial policy conflicts,” he said.

Merz has also said that the cost of prices will eventually load American consumers and thus trigger resistance in the country, adding that the European Union must now enter negotiations with the United States.

Earlier, he called for a “positive program” on trade with the United States. He even recommended to consider the renewed attempts in an EU-US free trade agreement, after the previous efforts, called TTIP, were put aside in 2017, at the start of Trump’s first mandate.

Meanwhile, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed his concern about American prices. He congratulated “the global exchange of goods and products” and said “that it is important that we do not divide the world with many price barriers”.

Asked about possible European countermeasures, Scholz said that the EU is a solid economic field and has “its own options for action”.

“Europe will not block and will not hide, but will rather be a constructive and assertive partner,” said Scholz earlier, adding that this position will be “the basis of good cooperation with the new American president”.

The Minister of the Economy, Robert Habeck, the candidate of the Chancellor of the Green Party of the Enuementalist, said that Germany and the EU had to do more to help themselves with regard to innovation, Infrastructure and new technologies in the threat of American prices.

In an interview with DW, Habeck said: “Europe is prepared, if the United States imposes prices”, adding that it would not be the case. Europe, he said, could impose “countermeasures that would affect the American economy, including the consumer sector”, but said in its eyes that it would be “in the wrong sense” of Treat with Trump.

Christian Lindner, the chief of the free Democratic party focused on business (FDP), said after the inauguration of Trump that the relationship between Germany and the United States needed “a new start”.

Germany must ensure that Europe speaks again in one voice, “said the former Minister of Finance.” Then we can also negotiate a new attempt at transatlantic free trade agreement, can -Be with intermediate steps, instead of prices, “he added.