EU Cheers Trump’s Tariff Truce — Is the Trade War Just on Ice?

BRUSSELS/WASHINGTON – In a dramatic twist to the brewing global trade war, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday cautiously welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump’s surprise decision to pause new “reciprocal tariffs” for 90 days, calling it “an important step” toward economic stability.

The move, which comes after weeks of aggressive tariff threats and escalating tension, is being viewed by critics as a climbdown by the U.S. amid mounting economic pressure and market chaos. Trump’s tariff threats—widely condemned by allies and economists—had sent shockwaves through global supply chains and triggered retaliatory moves from Europe and beyond.

“The European Union remains committed to constructive negotiations with the U.S.,” von der Leyen said, while stressing the need for “clear, predictable conditions” to ensure trade and supply chains aren’t thrown into further disarray.

But not everyone is buying the sudden diplomatic pivot.

Just a day earlier, EU member states had finalized plans to hit back with 10–25% retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods, set to go into effect next week. The tariffs were in direct response to the U.S.’s earlier imposition of duties on steel and aluminum imports—a move critics say blindsided global partners and risked plunging economies into protectionist chaos.

“Trump is feeling the heat,” one EU diplomat said anonymously. “This 90-day pause is not generosity—it’s damage control.”

Meanwhile, Wall Street seemed to exhale, with U.S. stocks making a stunning rebound following the announcement, after several days of steep declines blamed largely on trade tensions and investor anxiety.

Still, skeptics warn that Trump’s “pause” may simply be a temporary detour in an ongoing economic brinkmanship that has already fractured trust among global trading partners.

With retaliatory tariffs looming and trust wearing thin, the so-called truce may be nothing more than a fragile pause in a bigger economic standoff.

Want a version with a more anti-EU slant or something that sounds even more sensational?