There are indications that Trump’s “temper” will be focused on Europe after the trade conflict between the USA and China, says Sandra Phlippen, Assistant Professor at Erasmus School of Economics and Head for the Netherlands at ABN AMRO’s Group Economics. ‘The question is what – or rather who – causes him the most irritation.’
‘The signals started in May 2018, when Trump imposed import tariffs on steel and aluminum from Europe. Then came the threat of import tariffs on German cars, and that threat is still hanging in the air. Since this week, angry tweets have been added, that are often aimed at the powerful European Commissioner for Free Competition, Margrethe Verstager. According to Trump, she is driven by hatred for “his” successful tech companies in America.‘
According to Phlippen, Verstager stands for everything that irritates Trump, as she tries to force companies to compete fairly. ‘This makes her Trump’s anti-hero and the guardian of one of the most important principles of Europe: free competition. In Trump’s world, the concept of “fair competition” does not exist. Competition is something to be won, not to be kept fair.’
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Read the entire article of Algemeen Dagblad, 29 June 2019 (in Dutch).