Why Europe’s Reaction to Trump’s Course Matters for Investors
In Germany and parts of Europe, there’s a clear image of Donald Trump: He is considered an erratic, impulsive, and economically chaotic president who primarily acts intuitively. I find this assessment short-sighted, especially considering the experienced economic experts in his inner circle, such as Scott Bessent, Howard Lutnick, and Kevin Hassett—economic expertise we in Germany can only dream of.
What if behind Trump’s seemingly unpredictable actions lies a carefully considered economic agenda? A strategy that, while logically consistent, is also highly risky—with implications reaching far beyond the United States.
Decoding Trump’s Economic Strategy
If we look beyond Trump’s Twitter escapades and loud statements to examine the facts, a clear pattern emerges:
- Tariffs: Tarrifs are used as leverage to force bilateral deals favoring the United States.
- Tax Policy: Following his re-election in 2025, Trump quickly signaled the U.S. withdrawal from international tax agreements, specifically rejecting the global minimum tax initiative (OECD Pillar 2). The aim is to give U.S. corporations maximum flexibility and maintain control over global taxation matters.
- Inflation and the Dollar: Trump likely tolerates inflation deliberately, as higher prices help reduce real U.S. national debt.
- Protecting U.S. Digital Dominance: Trump actively supports Big Tech against regulatory challenges, particularly those emerging from the EU.
- Digital Financial Order: Trump encourages decentralized financial technologies such as stablecoins and Bitcoin to strengthen the dollar’s position in the digital era, without increasing central bank power via Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs). These measures clearly serve American interests and aim to secure long-term U.S. economic dominance.
Tariff Arguments – A Strategic Distraction?
Officially, Trump criticizes the EU for unfair trade deficits. But do these arguments hold up under scrutiny?
At first glance, merchandise trade figures support Trump’s claims, showing a 157 billion euro surplus for the EU. Yet, when services like U.S. software exports are included, this deficit shrinks dramatically to only 48 billion euros.
Furthermore, massive revenues generated by American tech giants like Google (100 billion euros), Amazon (50 billion euros), and Meta (40 billion euros) are funneled through tax-friendly locations such as Ireland and Luxembourg. Statistically, these appear as intra-European transactions, but practically they channel significant profits back to the U.S. Trump’s tariff narrative thus serves domestic approval and international pressure through a distorted lens.
Europe’s Countermeasures Against U.S. Big Tech Dominance
The EU actively responds to U.S. corporate dominance through targeted initiatives:
- Digital Services Taxes (DST): Taxes specifically targeting large U.S. tech corporations like Google, Amazon, and Meta, compelling them to pay taxes where profits are actually generated. Currently implemented partially in Austria and France, DST is on hold elsewhere pending OECD negotiations.
- OECD Pillar 2: This global minimum corporate tax of at least 15% effectively curtails aggressive tax avoidance. Mandatory in Germany since January 2024, it ensures multinational corporations pay taxes aligned with their actual economic activities.
- BEFIT (Business in Europe: Framework for Income Taxation): A proposed initiative for a unified corporate tax base within the EU, intended to distribute profits fairly and proportionately to corporations’ real European presence. This especially impacts loopholes historically exploited in Ireland and Luxembourg. BEFIT is still under negotiation.
Additionally, the EU introduced regulatory frameworks such as the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and the Digital Services Act (DSA), explicitly targeting the monopolistic power of major U.S. platforms like Google, Facebook, and Apple. Initial proceedings against Google and Apple are underway.
This partially strategic approach by the EU reassures me. However, I doubt these individual measures have fully coalesced into a coherent European strategy. Trump may interpret these actions as direct attacks, prompting aggressive responses.
Arthur Steinmetz – Why Trump’s Strategy Might Fail
Arthur Steinmetz, former CEO of the investment giant Oppenheimer Funds and respected macroeconomic analyst, summarizes a crucial criticism of Trump’s economic approach:
“The trade deficit isn’t a disadvantage for the U.S.; it’s our greatest privilege. We pay with self-printed dollars accepted by other nations, which then return them as inexpensive loans via U.S. Treasury bonds. We shouldn’t lightly risk this ‘exorbitant privilege.'”
Steinmetz urgently warns that Trump’s tariff conflicts and deliberately or inadvertently weakened dollar could ultimately push the global economy away from the dollar toward other currencies or payment systems. This risks severely harming America’s uniquely advantageous global financial and geopolitical position.
Should China, Russia, the BRICS nations, or even the EU seriously pursue alternatives to the dollar, U.S. interest rates could rise significantly, undermining America’s capacity for inexpensive debt financing and inflicting substantial economic damage.
Conclusion: Strategic? Yes – But Extremely Risky
We shouldn’t allow Trump’s provocative behavior to distract us. My personal rule is to wait 72 hours and carefully analyze the situation before forming an opinion.
Trump’s economic strategy is logical and consistent—but is it truly wise from a U.S. perspective?
America currently benefits significantly from the existing global economic order. Europe’s countermeasures are understandable but inevitably provoke Trump’s reactions.
Short-term successes are possible for Trump. However, mid-term risks loom large, potentially damaging the core pillars of American economic strength—with severe consequences for the global economy.
For investors and technologists, this means preparing for uncertainties, regulatory turbulence, and new risks—but also seizing substantial opportunities in U.S. digital technologies and innovative financial solutions, best identified and leveraged directly within the U.S.
From a European perspective, we must now jointly and openly analyze these risks and opportunities, ensuring proactive and informed responses. Those who look beyond European media noise and understand deeper connections will achieve long-term economic success.
