German Chancellor-in-Whats (set to become a Chancellor in May) Frederick Merz warned that Trump’s tariff policies may accelerate at the beginning of the global financial crisis. In an interview with HandlesB, Merz urged a new US-European Union Free Trade Agreement, offering “Zero percent on everything” as a mutually beneficial solution.
The European Union has already floated the “zero-to-zero” tariff proposal on industrial goods, but Trump rejected it as inadequate and suggested that Europe should buy more American energy instead.
Merz said that Europe will need to focus on other markets when withdrawing from global trade:
- “Trump’s policies are increasing the risk that the next financial crisis will be a hit soon”
- “We need to come up with a motivational response to Europeans.”
Frederick Merz
