Economist Truger advises tough anti-Trump stance

Berlin – In the tariff dispute between the EU and the US, economist Achim Truger is advocating for a hard line. If an agreement is not reached by the end of July, the agreed "countermeasures must be taken immediately," Truger told "Focus." Furthermore, the EU must then "also be prepared for further escalation, for example by taking measures against US digital corporations." The goal must be to "credibly demonstrate that we will not allow ourselves to be pushed around by Trump," the economist said. US President Donald Trump announced tariffs of 30 percent each on the EU and Mexico on Saturday, starting August 1. Despite the announcement, the EU Commission postponed the planned countermeasures against US companies on Sunday until early August. In light of the hardened positions, Truger warned of the potential consequences of high tariffs for the German economy. According to "current estimates," the 30 percent tariffs now threatened by Trump "could mean a 0.5 percent hit to GDP," Truger told "Focus." The impact of the federal government's multi-billion dollar package "on overall economic output would also be significantly weakened."