Trump broaches tariffs to solve U.S.-EU trade problems, but says ‘would be too harsh’

FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump arrives to welcome the 2019 National Hockey League (NHL) Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, U.S., October 15, 2019. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

October 16, 2019

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that charging additional tariffs on European imports could instantly resolve trade issues between the United States and European Union, but said he was not ready to add levies at this point in time.

“We welcome Italy’s support for a mutually beneficial trade agreement with the EU that ensures a level playing field for American workers. It hasn’t been that for many, many years,” Trump said at a joint news conference with Italian President Sergio Mattarella. “I could solve the problem instantly but it would be too harsh. It would involve tariffs on European products coming into this country and for right now we’re going to try to do it without that.”

(Reporting by Alexandra Alper; Writing by Lisa Lambert; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)

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