USA and EU on the Eve of a Trade War?

The beginning of D. Trump's second presidential tenure was remarkable in a sense that some declarations and decisions taken by the American leader during this period go beyond the usual practice of international trade relations and are hardly compatible with established perceptions of partnership between allies. The article examines the shaping of a trade strategy of the US administration which is based on the principle "America first" and D. Trump’s motto "Make America Great Again". The national economic egoism peaked in the US ‘reciprocal tariffs’ policy breaks away from liberalizing world trade that the United States had been promoting since the 1950-s. It comes into collision with the universal trade rules of the WTO and badly hurts the European Union. The author discloses how Washington’s explicitly protectionist modus operandi highlighted by the newly increased tariffs on the EU goods brings a transatlantic trade war closer. The countermeasures taken by the European Union in response to the US moves damaging European economic interests are scrutinized. Conflicting interests of Washington and Brussels connected with the activities of the US technological companies in the European market of digital services make ground for new tensions in transatlantic relations.

USA, EU, trade, transatlantic relations