President Trump stood firm on plans to impose tariffs, telling Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven that the European Union has been ripping off the U.S. for years.
“The United States has been taken advantage of by other countries — some friendly, some not so friendly — for many many decades,” Mr. Trump said at a joint press conference with Mr. Löfven.
“The European Union has been particularly tough on the United States,” he said, noting trade barriers to U.S. products. “The European Union has not treated us well.”
Mr. Trump said he didn’t blame European leaders but rather the U.S. leaders who made bad deals.
Mr. Löfven came to the White House meeting with a stern warning that the European Union will retaliate if the U.S. goes ahead with planned tariffs on steel and aluminum.
European Union leaders said they would retaliate with tariffs on U.S. imports of bluejeans, bourbon and Harley-Davidson motorcycles.
Mr. Trump told him that the U.S. would fight back with a 25 percent tax on automobile imports from Europe.
“The fact is we have been mistreated as a country for many years and we are just not going to let it happen,” said Mr. Trump, who for decades has called for get-tough trade policies to get better deals.
Despite exchanging trade-war threats, the two leaders touted the close relationship of their countries and promised to work together on issues including trade and security.
Mr. Löfven said he “fully respect the president’s view that he needs to look out for his own country.”
He said that his primary task was looking out for Sweden.
• S.A. Miller can be reached at smiller@washingtontimes.com.
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