By the EESC Workers’ Group

‘It is impossible for someone to lie unless he thinks he knows the truth. Producing bullshit requires no such conviction.’ Philosopher Harry G. Frankfurt’s work On Bullshit feels particularly relevant after the recent so-called ‘Liberation Day’ in Washington.

On 2 April, the US President announced a flat 10% import tariff for everyone, plus specific ones for the ‘worst offenders’. A list of such offenders was paraded, showing figures for ‘reciprocal tariffs’ on other countries, including 20% for the EU. That these numbers are largely meaningless and certainly don’t align with any proper definition of reciprocal tariffs was, evidently, of no concern to the president. Nor was the fact that the EU’s service trade deficit nearly balances the overall trade between the two blocks. But then, accuracy was never the point.

As we are entering a new trade war based on nonsense, what should people expect? Higher inflation, market uncertainty and a hit to European industries. Whether any of this will benefit US workers remains to be seen.

Beyond tariffs, the EU must protect workers and jobs at home, cushioning the initial impacts, not just because of the tariffs, but also due to the uncertainty caused by their arbitrariness. This means reactivating our internal demand and ensuring that wealth is redistributed and used effectively.

It also means protecting and investing in our key industries and sectors, diversifying energy sources, tackling the cost-of-living crisis and reforming the EU to make its decision-making effective. A strong and resilient society is the only thing that can prevent more Trumps from sprouting across the continent. Social partners are a key part of such a society. One of the sworn enemies of the Musk-Trump duo is trade unions, and with good reason.