this post was submitted on 08 Apr 2025
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Europe

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[–] django@discuss.tchncs.de 100 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

But he also indicated that he wanted the EU to reduce its standards to allow more U.S. goods to enter its market, referring to safety measures as "non-monetary tariffs."

"It's tariffs where they put things on where they make it impossible for you to sell a car ... they make it so difficult, the standards and the tests," Trump said. "They come up with rules and regulations that are just designed for one reason: that you can't sell your product in those countries. And we're not gonna let that happen. Those are called non-monetary barriers."

Keep your pedestrian hazards like the cybertruck in your country. We already have enough people driving unnecessarily huge cars. We need less and smaller cars.

[–] BigShammy80@feddit.org 55 points 3 weeks ago

This just shows that the tests and regulations work 😁 We don't need shitty american cars...

[–] DmMacniel@feddit.org 17 points 3 weeks ago

Lol He whines about our high standards as an entry barrier. If that's true, then why are there so many apple devices purchased here?

[–] Remember_the_tooth@lemmy.world 11 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Aren't you worried you might starve if your vehicle isn't tall enough to reach the drive-through window? Also, how are you going to transport landscaping supplies for your massive lawn? Furthermore, there's so many big vehicles on the road. I'd be concerned they would bully me if I were in a smaller car.

[–] BigShammy80@feddit.org 7 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I mean, i specifically chose a small car for city traffic. You don't have parking lots as big as whole football fields here in germany 😅😅 I once saw a parking map for a sea world somewhere in USA... this shit is unreal!!

[–] Remember_the_tooth@lemmy.world 10 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)
[–] BigShammy80@feddit.org 4 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Yeah, this is exactly the picture i was talking about 😮

[–] Remember_the_tooth@lemmy.world 3 points 3 weeks ago

What're we supposed to do? The busses only come on the hour if there's coverage for a region at all. It's really frustrating to see our taxes go to such poor service, so we very reasonably try to teach them a lesson by having our politicians reduce their funding, but they don't learn at all. The service just gets worse until a charitable, for-profit corporation steps in to fill the vacuum, usually with car-oriented services. What would we do without massive tarmacs stretching for miles?

[–] slaneesh_is_right@lemmy.org 73 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Sorry we don't negotiate with terrorists

[–] Remember_the_tooth@lemmy.world 33 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

If it's not from the brown-people region, it's not really terrorism. It's just sparkling freedom fighting.

[–] gigachad@sh.itjust.works 70 points 3 weeks ago (9 children)

The ridiculous thing is, digital earnings like the billions from Meta, Google etc. are not getting counted into the trade by Americans. Wonder how the trade deficit would look like if we did that. Apart from that, nobody wants to buy your ugly cars here, they wouldn't even fit to our streets. It's not like you couldn't produce something for the European market, if you wanted. Nobody is interested in something like the Ford F150

[–] BigShammy80@feddit.org 26 points 3 weeks ago

Exactly... they earn billions with their tech stuff from us... It's time to reduce that a little too! Use European services where you can and boycott Meta, Google etc

[–] Hayduke@lemmy.world 16 points 3 weeks ago

I think they had a hard enough time explaining “goods” to him. They need that to sink in before introducing “services". He is still amused with the old-fashioned word “groceries“

…JFC we are doomed

There are a few of those pickup trucks around here. If they were easier to get in Germany I believe more fragile men would buy it. Even if it just sits in the driveway.

[–] django@discuss.tchncs.de 8 points 3 weeks ago

I have already seen too many of those things in my city. But it is fun to watch them looking for a space to park their emotional support vehicles.

[–] Apocalypteroid@lemmy.world 7 points 3 weeks ago

I doubt that thing would even fit in my drive.

[–] steiner@nrw.social 5 points 3 weeks ago

@gigachad @CAVOK oh don't give the orange boy ideas, next headline will be "they ripp us off, EU must bring 90% of their citizens to truth network (or how ever his daily shitpost site is called) to get tariff relief!" 🤣 I hope EU does it like china, we can survive a view month longer with that than america.

[–] jrs100000@lemmy.world 4 points 3 weeks ago

Doesnt Meta collect its money in Ireland?

[–] Don_alForno@feddit.org 2 points 3 weeks ago

If services are included, we're almost even.

[–] TBi@lemmy.world 2 points 3 weeks ago

Given the amount of new giant pick ups around Ireland, I wouldn’t be surprised if the F150 is popular here.

[–] the_wiz@feddit.org 50 points 3 weeks ago

Well, I sincerely hope the EUs answer to it will be "get lost". We should not, we can not let us extort by a wannabe Mafia boss.

[–] truthfultemporarily@feddit.org 49 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Best I can do is to boycott all US products.

[–] the_swagmaster@lemmy.zip 8 points 3 weeks ago

I'm doing my part too 🫡

[–] Etterra@discuss.online 28 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

As an American my advise is for Europe to give Trump the middle finger and let it all fall apart. I don't want our country to die ugly, and I sure as hell never voted for it. But if our hardship leads to the downfall of the Orange Jackass and his whole damned cult, then so be it. With any luck that'll happen before I end up disappeared or thrown into one of Roadkill Kennedy's internment camps for people who take SSRIs.

[–] JasonDJ@lemmy.zip 5 points 3 weeks ago

I recognize that this comes from a place of extraordinary privilege, and I hope you do too...but I kinda agree. Let's just get the collapse of the US over with so we can rebuild. Quit dragging our feet on it, it's just gonna make things worse in the long term.

[–] bitchkat@lemmy.world 3 points 3 weeks ago

Its a sacrifice we're willing to make.

[–] mjhelto@lemm.ee 22 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Please, European countries, and even China for that fact, please don't give in. Make tRump eat shit for this stupid bully tactic. He's turned the US into the kiddie table all the parents ignore.

[–] huppakee@lemm.ee 2 points 3 weeks ago

I'm a visual thinker, trump eating shit might be my best visual thought of today.

[–] aldfin@lemm.ee 18 points 3 weeks ago
[–] aleq@lemmy.world 16 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Surely there is zero political support for this in Europe. Of course we're hurting badly from the tariffs, but at least in my circle I don't see anyone supporting bending over to any demand he sends us.

Almost as soon as Trump was reelected, von der Leyen suggested opening negotiations to buy more American liquefied natural gas (LNG). But POLITICO reported that the U.S. had, in response, offered no clarity about how a deal would work.

Don't quite follow this though, does the EU need more fossil fuels? Aren't we moving away from it? Is this aimed at replacing russian natural gas?

[–] Don_alForno@feddit.org 2 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I mean we do still import Russian oil and gas that could be replaced this way. Still, this is not about what the EU needs, it's a proactive offering of protection money. They forgot that Trump needs it to have been his pressure that made us bend the knee, not our own initiative, otherwise he won't look strong.

[–] aleq@lemmy.world 2 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

We are? I was under the impression that this had stopped, and that we now only do so indirectly in ways that are difficult to track (e.g. India importing raw materials from Russia, refining and shipping it to Europe).

Fully agree with your analysis that most of this is about Trumps ego and an attempt at asserting power.

[–] Don_alForno@feddit.org 2 points 3 weeks ago

I was under the impression that this had stopped

Nope.

[–] NotNow@lemmy.world 14 points 3 weeks ago

Send in the clowns!

[–] Zedstrian@lemmy.dbzer0.com 11 points 3 weeks ago

The U.S. isn't committing to closing the trade deficit in services, showing that Trump's tariffs are just about American dominance, not 'fairness'.

[–] GenosseFlosse@feddit.org 11 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

How much is that in solar and wind power?

[–] HK65@sopuli.xyz 1 points 3 weeks ago

IDK, I imagine the US is lagging behind China in that, especially now, if we're looking at foreign imports.

[–] zeezee@slrpnk.net 9 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

wtf - the EU imported 15-20b on LNG in 2024 - how does it make any sense to increase LNG imports by 15-20 times while claiming to decarbonize? Or is the plan to just weave the 350B debt and then be left holding the proverbial LNG bag?

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And this comes after: "Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič is hoping his U.S. counterparts can settle on a “term sheet” that sets out a framework for talks — when the next round of tariffs takes effect."

These could entail lowering duties, investing in American defense firms, boosting purchases of U.S. liquefied natural gas, or softening some regulations. ^1^

Soo the EU is going for the classic get fucked in the ass, suck the cum out while you’re belching, burp, belch, and go back for a second helping...

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[–] Kissaki@feddit.org 8 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

how does it make any sense to increase LNG imports by 15-20 times while claiming to decarbonize?

You mean from EU side? I don't think Trump cares about decarbonization or EU efforts regarding it.

[–] zeezee@slrpnk.net 2 points 3 weeks ago

yep, Europe really ought to not cave into the demand to buy up more LNG and instead focus on developing their own renewable energy base instead