Taoiseach says EU will 'obviously retaliate' if Trump imposes new tariffs, but urges dialogue

LAST UPDATE | 17 hrs ago

TAOISEACH MICHEÁL MARTIN has said the European Union will “obviously retaliate” if Donald Trump imposes threatened tariffs on eight countries who oppose his plan to take over Greenland. 

However, the Fianna Fáil leader said dialogue has to happen in order to avoid a trade war between the bloc and the US, which he said would be damaging globally. 

European leaders have widely condemned the US President’s announcement that he will subject eight European countries to a 10% tariff from next month, which would increase to 25% in June. 

Ambassadors from all 27 EU member states are meeting this afternoon to discuss a response. 

Speaking on RTÉ’s This Week programme, Martin deemed Trump’s announcement “extraordinary” and “unacceptable”. 

“The situation in Greenland is very clear, from our perspective. The territorial integrity, the sovereignty of Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark cannot be violated,” he said.

Referring to Trump’s claims that the US “needs” the autonomous Danish territory for “national security”, Martin said any issues around Arctic security should be resolvable.

“What’s not on the table, from a European Union perspective, is any annexation of Greenland or unilateral engagement by the US in Greenland.”

Tempo has increased ‘very quickly’

The Taoiseach said the tempo “has increased very dramatically, very quickly”.

“Be in no doubt that Europe will obviously retaliate if these tariffs are imposed, and that will lead to a very serious situation globally.

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“The trading relationship between the United States and Europe is the largest, so the impacts would be wide-ranging for the global economy. The US would suffer, Europe would suffer, everybody would suffer.”

He said a number of announcements that Trump has made in the past regarding tariffs have been rolled back on following discussions, and that “that would be the hope” when it comes to this matter. 

“In my view, logically, these positions that the US is adopting are not tenable in the medium term, because I think it would create very significant economic damage all round.”

Washington and the EU struck a trade deal last summer to lower US tariffs on key European goods, with the deal currently being implemented.

Martin said that agreement was entered into “in good faith” and that every effort should be made to ensure that it “remains the framework that underpins trade between Europe and the United States”. 

Asked about any potential impact on Ireland if a trade war were to happen, Martin said we “need not to get into hypotheticals” but said the Government is “very conscious of the reliance on cooperation tax”.

“That is why we created the Future Ireland Fund, that’s why we created the Climate Infrastructure Nature Fund. To put substantial money aside so as to protect our investments in infrastructure and protect against challenges into the future.”

When asked if the events of the last 48 hours might lead him to decline any invitation from the White House for the annual St Patrick’s Day visit, Martin said: “I believe in dialogue and I believe in engagement.

“The US-Irish relationship is a very important one”, he said, adding that “given the importance and centrality of the economic relationship between Ireland and the US, and indeed the relationship with our diaspora, it’s important that we continue to engage.” 

Earlier today, Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee and Tánaise Simon Harris also described the threat of tariffs as “completely unacceptable” and “deeply regrettable”.

Ireland’s position ‘will not change’

In a statement this morning, McEntee said that peace and security “depend on all UN Member States abiding by the fundamental principles of the UN Charter”.

“We have seen the appalling and unacceptable consequences when States do not do so. There can be no lasting peace and security in a world where these principles are ignored and undermined,” she said. 

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“Ireland has been crystal clear that the future of Greenland is a matter to be determined by Denmark and by the Greenlandic people, in line with well-established democratic principles and international law.

This is a position that will not change. Respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of States is non-negotiable. 

McEntee said a commitment to multilateralism and the international legal order is the cornerstone of Irish foreign policy. “This has been the case for the past seven decades, since Ireland joined the UN in 1955. It will remain the case.”

She continued: “Denmark and Greenland of course have the sovereign right to arrange military exercises with their partners, on their own territory.”

The Minister said Ireland is “coordinating closely with our EU and wider European partners” in response to Trump’s announcement.

“The only way forward to resolve issues of concern to the US, or to any other country, is through respectful engagement.”

‘Most concerning’

Tánaiste Simon Harris has described Trump’s tariff threat as “most concerning and very unwelcome”.

The Minister for Finance said he will travel to Brussels tomorrow to meet with his European counterparts.

“An incredible amount of work and effort, in good faith, was put into reaching an agreement with the US to protect economic activity flowing in both directions across the Atlantic,” Harris said.

“This was in the clear interest of economies across Europe, including Ireland but also in the clear interest of the United States.

Developments in recent hours which seek to undermine that and move away from that by the US are most concerning and very unwelcome.

He added: “This threat of penalising European economies and businesses and linking that with Greenland is completely unacceptable and I know Europe will stand united and coordinated in considering how to respond.”

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