Trump’s trade war is an attack on workers – Europe must stand firm”, say Ó Ríordáin MEP
In response to the US President Donald Trump’s latest threats to impose 25% trade tariffs on the EU, Dublin MEP Aodhán Ó Ríordáin has said:
“Donald Trump is a billionaire bully who has always put the interests of the powerful above those of ordinary people. His threat to slap tariffs on the EU is not just an attack on Europe—it’s an attack on workers and on families and it will hurt ordinary people on both sides of the Atlantic. He doesn’t care if his reckless economic war drives up the cost of living, destroys jobs, or deepens inequality. And if we let him, he’ll do just that.
“Now is the moment for Europe to stand firm. We will not be held to ransom by a man who thinks diplomacy is a one-way street. If Trump wants a fight, then Brussels must be ready to meet him head-on. The EU was built on the idea that economic power should serve the people, not a handful of oligarchs. We must use our strength to protect our industries, our workers, and our communities—because tariffs like these don’t hit the CEOs, they hit the factory workers, the farmers, the shopkeepers, and the ordinary people just trying to get by.
“Taoiseach Micheál Martin’s visit to Washington for St Patrick’s day will be a moment of truth. He is not just representing Ireland—he is standing for Europe as a whole. And he must make it absolutely clear: we are not some weak, submissive partner in this relationship. We will not take orders from a man who sees democracy as an obstacle and multilateralism as a weakness.
“This is about more than just tariffs. It’s about the future we want. A future where Europe is not shackled to the whims of a right-wing, nationalist, anti-worker agenda. A future where trade policy puts people ahead of the profits of a select few, where industries are safeguarded, where workers’ rights and environmental protections are not sacrificed for the benefit of corporate elites.
“Trump wants us to kneel – so Europe must rise.”