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Trump: ‘Letters as agreements.’ The EU responds: ‘We negotiate, we don’t suffer.’

The US president publishes unilateral letters on Truth Social, calling them ‘agreements.’ Brussels insists on dialogue and warns of risks to the global economy

Donald Trump returns to the global trade scene with an increasingly personal approach: he publishes letters on Truth Social, warns governments and talks about ‘agreements’ even in the absence of negotiations or formal agreements. ‘From my point of view, a letter means an agreement,’ he said, reiterating his second administration’s line on tariffs and international relations.

In the last few hours, the US president has announced that he will send the European Union a document listing the tariffs that Brussels will have to apply from 1 August if no agreement is reached. ‘They are probably two days away from their letter,’ he said during a cabinet meeting, explaining that this communication will be considered a form of unilateral agreement.

But Europe is not accepting this. Speaking in plenary in Strasbourg, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen clarified Brussels’ position: ‘Since February, the United States has imposed tariffs on 70% of our bilateral trade. This is an unprecedented measure. Our line is clear: we prefer a negotiated solution, even though we remain prepared for all scenarios.’

Von der Leyen confirmed that she had had a ‘fruitful exchange of views’ with Trump in recent days, but also stressed that the EU remains faithful to its principles: ‘We defend our interests and continue to work in good faith.’

However, a return to classic trade diplomacy appears to be an uphill struggle. As highlighted in an analysis by Ana Swanson in the New York Times, Trump has revolutionised the very concept of an ‘agreement’. In the past, trade agreements were based on detailed documents, often the result of years of negotiations. Today, the White House considers even short documents of intent, without binding value or parliamentary approval, to be ‘historic’.

This is the case with the agreement announced with the United Kingdom last May, consisting of a few pages and many promises. Or the one with Vietnam, presented as a “major cooperation agreement” but without an official text made public. The same applies to the “tariff truce” with China, described as a trade agreement, but which in fact only suspended certain tariffs already in force.

Even the “letters” published on Monday by Trump on Truth Social and sent to countries such as Japan, South Korea, South Africa and others, announce new tariffs on products exported to the United States in the absence of “agreements” by the end of the month. And the president has already warned: “We cannot meet with 200 countries”.

According to Nisha Biswal of the Asia Group, interviewed by the NYT, “it is unrealistic to think that real agreements can be concluded in a few weeks. Legal texts are needed, and negotiations take time”. But for Trump, as he told Time in April, “an agreement is what I decide”.

The administration’s line remains aggressive. In addition to potential tariffs on European and Asian products, Trump has announced a 50% tariff on copper and even higher tariffs on imported drugs, with companies given one year to relocate production to the US. ‘After that deadline, very high tariffs will be imposed, even as high as 200%,’ he said.

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