President Donald Trump has struck a historic trade deal with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, drawing both praise and fury across the European continent. The agreement, which promises $750 billion in EU energy purchases, up to hundreds of billions in U.S. military hardware, and $600 billion in EU investment in American businesses, comes at the cost of a 15% baseline tariff on European imports to the United States.
The deal is not yet binding, requiring ratification from all 27 EU member states. Debate quickly ignited among European leaders, reflecting a divide between nations seeking economic stability and those alarmed by perceived capitulation to Washington.
French Prime Minister François Bayrou, whose tenure is already under pressure from budget conflicts, condemned the deal as a “dark day” for European sovereignty. National Rally leader Jordan Bardella called it “shameful” and demanded France block the agreement, even as French industries like aeronautics and pharmaceuticals received carveouts. Leftist François Ruffin called for von der Leyen’s resignation and accused her of “selling out” European agriculture and manufacturing.
In contrast, Italy’s conservative Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni welcomed the agreement, warning that a trade war with the U.S. would have unleashed economic instability. She emphasized the importance of continued negotiations but viewed the pact as a positive step in preventing escalation.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz praised the deal for reducing auto tariffs from 27.5% to 15%, a major win for Germany’s export-heavy economy. He called the agreement essential in avoiding a damaging trade war.
Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a known Trump ally, voiced skepticism. He criticized Brussels for failing to match the success of post-Brexit Britain, which secured even lower tariffs in separate negotiations with President Trump. Orbán sharply remarked, “It wasn’t a deal that President Donald Trump made with Ursula von der Leyen — it was Trump eating von der Leyen for breakfast.”
As ratification debates intensify, the deal signals Trump’s renewed leverage on the global stage and showcases a dramatic reshaping of transatlantic trade — one firmly tilted in America’s favor.
