Donald Trump imposed duties. The European Union “will not want to escalate, but it must answer”

Economist Professor Witold Orłowski assessed that the Wednesday speech of Donald Trump about duties and the decision to impose them on all goods outside the US was “was a gibberish from an economic point of view.” According to international experts, Dr. Magdalena Kumelska-Koniecko President of the United States with such a move may strive to renegotiate contracts with other countries.

On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump He signed a regulation imposing duties on goods from around the world and additional duties for most other countries. Trump announced that April 2, 2025 is “one of the most important days in America's history.”

A moment after Trump's speech and the signing of the ordinance, the event on TVN24 was commented by prof. Witold Orłowski from the Vistula Academy and Warsaw University of Technology and dr Magdalena Kumelska-Koniecko, international expert at the University of Warmia and Mazury.

Professor Orłowski: Gibberish from an economic point of view

Prof. Orłowski assessed that it “was a gibberish from an economic point of view.” – An example of what gibberish we are dealing with: VAT was also included in the customs duties, which is applied to American goods. VAT is applied to all goods sold in the European Union, regardless of whether they are American or not – he explained.

The economist also explained what the US sales deficit with other countries argues that Trump argues the imposition of customs. – Every economist knows that the United States commercial deficit results from the fact that United States They sold their bonds massively, in short, they borrowed capital from the world and have been doing this for several decades and the effect of this is a deficit in foreign trade – he outlined.

Prof. Orłowski stated that this is the procedure according to “primitive economics”. – So economics thought before it was created, i.e. somewhere in the 17th century. It was the then doctrine, which said that the higher the foreign goods are saved, the less imported, the happier the country is – he added.

He also assessed that the EU “has a dilemma”. “She certainly won't want to escalate the trade war, but at the same time he must answer what the United States has done now,” he said.

Doctor Kumelska-Koniecko: We have a turn in American politics

– The “Liberation Day” announced by President Trump, interestingly, takes place on the National Day of Peanut butter and jelly celebrated in the United States for years. This convergence of these two years also tells us a lot about what tone Donald Trump spoke to his voters above all, but he also communicated mainly with the Chinese and the European Union announcing a return in the United States customs policy – said Dr. Kumelska – Koniecko.

She assessed that when it comes to international policy, “we have a phrase in American foreign and security policy.” She also said that Donald Trump “absolutely changed rhetoric in relation to transatlantic allies.” – However, it is symptomatic that in the context of rivals and enemies of America, this rhetoric is completely different – she said.

– Trump, producing such a narrative, can strive to renegotiate various types of contracts that the United States has with various entities international relations in order to gain benefits of course – pointed out Dr. Kumelska -Koniecko.