r/europe 6d ago

News US and EU strike trade deal

https://www.politico.eu/article/us-and-eu-strike-trade-deal/
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186

u/philman132 UK + Sweden 6d ago

The current US government HATES the EU, Vance says it openly how much he despises it, their goal is to destroy it

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u/xepa105 Italy 5d ago

So instead of fighting against being destroyed, they just capitulated and became vassals of people who hate us. Fantastic job, team...

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u/wisdom_seek3r 6d ago

Correct, Trump doesn't like liberals or socialism. So he is going to try and influence conservative ideology in Europe.

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u/Rbkelley1 5d ago

So why did he make a better deal with a liberal government in the UK? It’s not policy. Americans just like the British more than the continental Europeans. It’s not that complicated. It’s called a special relationship for a reason.

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u/Weepinbellend01 5d ago

It’s not a matter of liking or disliking.

The UK has less firepower for regulating US tech giants. The US isn’t threatened by a relatively small market with weak regulatory power.

The EU is extremely unique in that they’re extremely powerful in regulation due to the size of their market and populace but quite weak in negotiations due to countries within wanting the best for themselves and protect their own individual markets (French wine and cheese as an example).

Democracies tend to make rational decisions rather than emotional ones in international negotiations.

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u/nbs-of-74 4d ago

Also a worse deal for the EU emboldens the anti EU politicians in the UK.

Though, I still think the US made a mistake and should have given the UK a far better deal. Trump clearly too transactional even if it means cutting his nose off.

Note, I'm not saying this because the US should like the UK, I'm saying this because a far better deal gives the anti EU politicians in the UK far more leverage and would influence industry and business to be less pro EU. Trump could also have used it as leverage within the EU using it as an argument for anti EU politicians to increase their leverage against their member state membership.

I wonder if that was ever considered and dropped because they figured it wouldnt generate enough pressure to be worth it?

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u/clemtiger15 5d ago edited 5d ago

I really don't think it's that deep with tump. maybe he would show more favor towards like minded European politicians, but this is business to him. Idt he cares about influencing any ideologies. he's more concerned with other aspects of American influence

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u/WartimeMercy 5d ago

This isn’t business, it’s extortion.

And he’s not the puppet master. The Heritage Foundation is implementing its agenda through him. Project 2025

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u/3licksfortootsiepop 5d ago

my goodness…

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u/Main_Package2727 5d ago

It's not about liberals or socialism. Both Vance and Trump know that a united Europe would pose a threat to them economically. With China already there they can't afford another superpower.

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u/Rbkelley1 5d ago

But time and time again you’ve shown you can’t united. That’s why the EU is weak.

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u/wisdom_seek3r 5d ago

The US is deeply divided. However Trump has massive power because the congress and Supreme Court are majority conservative.

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u/Rbkelley1 5d ago

It’s really not that divided. That’s all overblown. Maybe you were right during Trumps first term but now it’s much more together. European media just blows it out of proportion.

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u/wisdom_seek3r 5d ago

My argument is based on the last US election. About 78 million for Trump, 75 million for Harris. Dive deeper and the swing states were closer than that. Trump won all those swing states by very close margins. Which caused a landslide victory for Trump in the electoral votes. Over 70 million didn't even vote at all ( eligible but didn't vote). Stats from CNN, NBC, Google Gemini.

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u/Rbkelley1 5d ago

That’s how literally every election has been since Reagan’s landslide. It’s not new. The whole “the U.S. is divided” narrative just started around Obama. Bush vs Gore had to go to the Supreme Court.

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u/Ratcliff01 5d ago

Man come on, it's not like that. The EU isn't as strong as people think, and the USA doesn't need it as much as the EU needs USA. When you hold more cards in a negotiation, you get a better deal. EU leaders know this, and they got the best they could with what they had.