Despite media outlets and presenters doomsdaying for months over delayed negotiations, President Donald Trump reached a historic trade deal Sunday with the European Union (EU), seemingly securing a level playing field for American businesses to trade with our largest partners.
EU President Ursula von der Leyen met with Trump in Turnberry, Scotland, agreeing to accept a 15 percent tariff on EU imports to the U.S., buy $750 billion worth of American energy, and invest an additional $600 billion in the U.S. Additionally, the EU has stated that it will not impose tariffs on U.S. goods, effectively opening their markets to American businesses.
“President Trump’s agreement with the European Union achieves historic structural reforms and strategic commitments that will benefit American industry, workers, and national security for generations,” the White House announced.
“We have a surplus, the United States has a deficit, and we have to rebalance it,” von der Leyen said in a press conference Sunday with Trump.
One ambassador told the Financial Times that the deal was a clear indicator that the “Trump juggernaut” had steamrolled the EU, adding, “Trump worked out exactly where our pain threshold is.”
During a Monday morning podcast, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán accused von der Leyen of being a “featherweight” negotiator in response to the trade deal with Trump.
“It wasn’t a deal that President Donald Trump made with Ursula von der Leyen. It was Donald Trump eating Ursula von der Leyen for breakfast,” Orbán said.
Today, President Trump secured a HUGE, POWERFUL TRADE DEAL between the U.S. and EU 🇺🇸
The EU will:
💰 Invest $600 Billion in U.S.
⚡️ Purchase $750 Billion in American Energy
💸 Open Markets to U.S. pic.twitter.com/PWNtlhpH5b— The White House (@WhiteHouse) July 28, 2025
After Trump initiated the March 12 tariff push with the EU and several other countries, including China, Canada, and the United Kingdom, to balance the trade deficit between the U.S. and these countries. The U.S. trade deficit with the EU was around $236 billion in 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. (Sign up for Mary Rooke’s weekly newsletter here!)
Legacy media claimed his negotiation tactics would ultimately solidify the EU’s stance against the U.S.
The New York Times published a piece seven days before the new trade deal was announced, claiming that Trump’s tariff threats were bolstering the EU’s public trust and helping the bloc to make new friends.
“President Trump’s pledge to ‘Make America Great Again’ appears to be having an unexpected side effect: He is bringing Europeans together again,” argued Jeanna Smialek, the New York Times’ Federal Reserve and U.S. economy reporter, July 21.
Politico’s European division reported a similar sentiment to Smialek’s in June, claiming that Trump’s trade negotiations would prompt the EU to do business with other countries, thereby isolating Trump and the U.S.
“Europe is getting fed up with Donald Trump’s trade threats — and is exploring a bold move to look east instead of west to find partners who want to play by the rules,” the outlet reported on June 30.
EUROPE: Financial Times editorial says President Trump is making ‘Europe great again’ with his policies having a ‘galvanising effect on the EU’ and that ‘fundamental steps towards European unity’ are now under way.
— The Spectator Index (@spectatorindex) March 10, 2025
MSNBC producer and political contributor Steve Benen claimed July 8 that Trump’s U.S. trade policy reflected “the whims of an erratic and ignorant president who can’t make up his mind.”
“By any fair measure, this entire policy is a shambolic mess,” Benen said.
“Late last week, for example, Trump said his ‘inclination’ was to simply impose new tariffs instead of negotiating new trade deals because ‘it’s just much easier.’ That wasn’t intended to be funny, but it was amusing to hear the president effectively admit that failing is easier than succeeding on one of his signature issues,” he added. (ROOKE: Democrats Seem To Be Setting Themselves Up For More Chaos And Division)
Other American Presidents have tried and failed to reach a significant trade deal with the European Union.
This Framework underscores @POTUS‘ commitment to delivering real results to the American People by enabling our farmers, ranchers, and manufacturers to increase U.S.… pic.twitter.com/kpKBuZhQqI
— United States Trade Representative (@USTradeRep) July 28, 2025
Several leaders from EU member nations were outraged by the finalized deal, which seemed to see America come out ahead (thanks to Trump and his administration).
French member of parliament and president of the National Rally party in the National Assembly, Marine Le Pen, referred to it as a “stinging failure” by the EU.
“The trade agreement concluded by Ursula von der Leyen with Donald Trump is a political, economic, and moral fiasco,” Le Pen posted on X Monday.
“This globalization that denies and shatters sovereignty has been outdated for many years. It is high time this information reached the ears of the European Commission,” she added. “And in the meantime, the least that could be done is to acknowledge this stinging failure rather than asking the French, who will be its first victims, to rejoice in it.”
French Prime Minister François Bayrou joined the chorus criticizing von der Leyen’s deal with Trump, calling it a “submission.
“It is a dark day when an alliance of free peoples, united to affirm their values and defend their interests, resolves to submission,” Bayrou posted Monday on X.
Despite the naysayers, such as Benen, Trump’s unconventional approach to the tariff negotiations ultimately succeeded. The “Trump juggernaut” wasn’t the paper tiger they thought it was. The EU will not only accept higher tariffs but has also promised to conduct billions of dollars’ worth of business with the U.S.
Once again, legacy media, with their all-consuming hatred for anything related to the Trump administration, are walking away with egg on their faces.
Follow Mary Rooke on X: @MaryRooke
