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https://nordictimes.com/economy/world-condemns-trump-trade-tariffs-eu-prepares-countermeasures/

Economy

World condemns Trump trade tariffs – EU prepares countermeasures

Donald Trump's USA

Published 3 April 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Trump presents the new external tariffs during yesterday's press conference.
4 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

On Wednesday night, Donald Trump unveiled his much-touted tariff package, described as one of the most aggressive in modern times – and the world is getting ready to respond to the import duties.

– That’s what hurts most. It is one of our closest friends who is doing this, says Sweden’s Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Benjamin Dousa (M).

The US tariffs against the rest of the world were higher than most observers had expected – even though Trump himself described it as a “day of liberation” and argued that it was high time to punish those countries that had allegedly worked against the US with alleged election manipulation, subsidies, high taxes or theft of intellectual property.

In practice, the announcement includes 25% car tariffs and 20% tariffs on imports from the EU.

China, however, will be penalized even more severely – Chinese goods will be subject to 34% tariffs, and if you include the tariffs already in place, the total tariff will be around 54%.

Norway will get off slightly easier with 15% tariffs and for the UK the figure will be 10%. The President also announced that a general minimum tariff will be introduced on imports from all countries in the world – and that this will be 10%.

– If you want your tariff rate to be zero, then you build your product right here in America, he declared.

“Incomprehensible and sad”

Reactions have been swift, with a very long line of leaders condemning the US announcement, promising retaliatory measures or calling on the US administration to back down and withdraw the tariffs.

– I deeply regret that the US has now embarked on a path to restrict trade by raising tariffs. We do not want growing trade barriers. We do not want a trade war. It would make our people poorer and the world more dangerous in the long run, said Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (M) in a public statement.

A spokesperson for the French government goes much further, accusing Trump of seeking to become “master of the world”, and Denmark’s foreign minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen says everyone stands to lose from a US trade war with Europe.

Swedish Minister for Foreign Trade Benjamin Dousa (M), like his colleagues, is very upset by the customs decision, calling it “incomprehensible and sad”. He is also convinced that the decision will have a major impact on Sweden and the Swedish people.

– Sweden is a small export-dependent country and the US is one of our most important markets. There are certain sectors that are particularly dependent on the US market. These include our car exports, where over 100,000 people are dependent on trade, either directly as companies or as subcontractors. Then there are pharmaceutical exports, timber and lumber.

– From the government’s side, we will do everything we can to minimize the impact on the Swedish economy and Swedish jobs, he continues.

“Millions will face higher food prices”

According to Dousa, European nations have been trying to negotiate and find a solution to avoid the trade tariffs in recent weeks – but there has been no such interest from the US side.

– That door should always be open, we should not be driven by a desire for revenge… But if the US goes ahead with the tariffs and the talks don’t go anywhere, Europe needs to stand strong and ready and respond to this – raising tariffs on products for which there are plenty of alternatives.

The much-criticized President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, also announced that “we are preparing for further countermeasures, to protect our interests and our businesses”, describing it as a major setback for the entire world economy.

– I deeply regret this choice. Let’s be clear-eyed about the immense consequences. The global economy will massively suffer.

– Millions of citizens will face higher grocery bills. Medication will cost more as well as transportation. Inflation will go up, warns the EU leader.

The globalist EU leader believes that the US itself will also be negatively affected as many players may abandon the US and seek other markets.

On April 7, EU trade ministers will meet to discuss a joint EU response to the US trade tariffs.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

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https://nordictimes.com/world/trump-suggests-possible-deportation-of-elon-musk/

World

Trump suggests possible deportation of Elon Musk

Donald Trump's USA

Published today 11:22
– By Editorial Staff
The relationship between tech entrepreneur Elon Musk and former U.S. President Donald Trump appears to oscillate between frosty and outright hostile these days.
3 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

US President Donald Trump recently suggested the possibility of deporting his former ally and advisor Elon Musk, while hinting that the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) might review the government subsidies received by Musk’s companies.

The unexpected statement came during a press conference on the White House lawn, where the president was directly asked about the possibility of deporting the Tesla and SpaceX CEO.

– We’ll have to take a look, the president responded.

Musk, who was born in South Africa, has been a US citizen since 2002. Under current law, deportation would require a criminal conviction. Trump elaborated on his comment with a sarcastic attack aimed at his former friend:

– We might have to put DOGE on Elon. You know what DOGE is? DOGE is the monster that might have to go back and eat Elon. Wouldn’t that be terrible? He gets lots of subsidies, he said.

Escalating conflict

The conflict between Trump and Musk has escalated in recent weeks, particularly regarding the comprehensive “One Big Beautiful Bill Act”, which forms the core of Trump’s domestic policy agenda. Musk has called the bill “completely insane” and “political suicide”.

The president responded to the criticism with a post on his Truth Social platform:

“Elon may get more subsidy than any human being in history, by far, and without subsidies, Elon would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa”, he wrote.

“No more Rocket launches, Satellites, or Electric Car Production, and our Country would save a FORTUNE. Perhaps we should have DOGE take a good, hard, look at this? BIG MONEY TO BE SAVED!!!”

The background to these statements is Musk’s repeated attacks on the bill, which he claims threatens both jobs and future technology. In a post on X on Saturday, he wrote that “The latest Senate draft bill will destroy millions of jobs in America and cause immense strategic harm to our country!”

“Insane and destructive”

“Utterly insane and destructive. It gives handouts to industries of the past while severely damaging industries of the future”, he continued.

On Monday, he intensified his rhetoric:

“Anyone who campaigned on the PROMISE of REDUCING SPENDING , but continues to vote on the BIGGEST DEBT ceiling increase in HISTORY will see their face on this poster in the primary next year”.

Musk also described the political climate in the US as “a one-party country – THE PORKY PIG PARTY!!” and called for the formation of a new political party.

Electric vehicle dispute

On Tuesday, Trump emphasized that his previous support from Musk didn’t change his stance on electric vehicle policy:

“Elon Musk knew, long before he so strongly Endorsed me for President, that I was strongly against the EV Mandate”, Trump wrote on Truth Social.

“It is ridiculous, and was always a major part of my campaign. Electric cars are fine, but not everyone should be forced to own one”.

Trump threatens to sic DOGE on his former ally. Photo: facsimile/Truth Social//Donald Trump

With Tuesday’s Senate approval, where the bill passed with a 51-50 vote, the conflict between Trump and Musk deepened further. Recently, Musk also expressed support for impeachment proceedings against the president, though he later retracted this and apologized.

Musk resigned from his position at DOGE on May 29, in accordance with the 130-day limit for special government employees.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/world/kennedy-halts-us-support-for-global-vaccine-alliance/

World

Kennedy halts US support for global vaccine alliance

The criticized covid vaccinations

Published 28 June 2025
– By Editorial Staff
According to Kennedy, Gavi has exhausted the public’s – and the US government’s – trust.
2 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

US Secretary of Health Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced during a meeting in Brussels this week that the country is withdrawing its financial support for the global vaccine alliance Gavi.

The announcement comes as Gavi has launched a new funding round with the goal of raising at least $9 billion for the next five years.

Kennedy, who has long been highly skeptical of large-scale mass vaccination programs and experimental vaccines, sharply criticized Gavi and its collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) during the coronavirus crisis in a brief video address. He accused the alliance of systematically silencing “dissenting views” and ignoring health risks and safety issues related to the vaccines.

“In its zeal to promote universal vaccination, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance has neglected the key issue of vaccine safety”, Kennedy later wrote in a post on X, and continued:

“When vaccine safety issues have come before GAVI, it has treated them not as a patient health problem, but as a public relations problem”.

Kennedy also questioned the safety of the combined vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis, claiming that research shows girls who received the vaccine are at higher risk of dying from other causes than unvaccinated children. He also expressed skepticism about WHO’s and Gavi’s recommendation to vaccinate pregnant women against COVID-19 – a recommendation he called “questionable”.

“I call on GAVI to re-earn the public trust and to justify the $8 billion dollars that America has provided in funding since 2001. Until that happens the United States won’t contribute more to GAVI. Business as usual is over”, he declared.

US promised one billion

According to Kennedy, Gavi must start “consider the best science available, even when that science contradicts established paradigms”.

In a statement on Thursday, Gavi claimed that the organization’s highest priority is children’s health and safety. They also stated that all decisions about which vaccines to procure are made according to recommendations from WHO’s expert group on vaccines.

Gavi is a global partnership between WHO, UNICEF, the Gates Foundation, the World Bank, and several governments, working to promote affordable mass vaccination programs in poor countries. The United States has long been one of the organization’s largest donors – and had, before Donald Trump’s re-election, promised support of $1 billion through 2030.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/world/rfk-jr-wants-health-trackers-on-every-american-within-four-years/

World

RFK Jr wants health trackers on every American within four years

Mass surveillance

Published 26 June 2025
– By Editorial Staff
"We think that wearables are a key to the MAHA agenda", Kennedy claims.
3 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

US Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has presented a plan for all Americans to wear body-monitoring technology that tracks their health in real time.

The measure is described as a crucial part of the national initiative MAHA – Make America Healthy Again – which aims to reverse America’s widespread public health crisis using modern technology.

During a hearing before the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Tuesday, Kennedy revealed that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will launch one of its most extensive campaigns ever – to get Americans to wear so-called wearables, body-worn technology that collects health data around the clock.

– We’re about to launch the biggest advertising campaign in HHS history to encourage Americans to use wearables, Kennedy said.

Products mentioned in the initiative include FitBit, Oura Ring, and Apple Watch – popular devices that can measure heart rate, movement, sleep, and in some cases even blood glucose.

– It’s a way people can take control over their own health. They can take responsibility. They can see, as you know, what food is doing to their glucose levels, their heart rates, and a number of other metrics, as they eat it, he explained in a statement also published on the X platform.

“Key to the MAHA agenda”

Kennedy emphasized that he sees the technology as a crucial part of his vision:

– We think that wearables are a key to the MAHA agenda of making America healthy again and my vision is that every American is wearing a wearable in four years.

The Secretary, who belongs to the influential Kennedy family, often emphasizes individual responsibility for health but also links the issue to national security. During his Senate hearing, he described America’s obesity epidemic – which now affects about 40 percent of the population – as a threat to military readiness.

“Reduce global metabolic suffering”

One of the leading advocates for this type of technology is also President Trump’s nominee for Surgeon General, Dr. Casey Means. She is co-founder of Levels, a company that develops and sells Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGM) – sensors attached directly to the skin that send blood glucose values to an app in real time.

Means claims in a blog post that “these small plastic discs” can “reduce global metabolic suffering” and provide much-needed help to the “93.2 percent of people” suffering from metabolic issues.

The food industry is also affected by MAHA. Kennedy recently revealed that Starbucks will make changes to its menu in line with the agenda – even though the company already avoids several common additives such as artificial colors, flavors, and high-fructose corn syrup.

Earlier this year, Kennedy implemented a ban on artificial colors in U.S. food production – one of his first major interventions as Secretary. Critics have questioned both methods and priorities in the MAHA policy, but Kennedy sees it as a first step toward a healthier and more responsible nation.

Concerns about mass surveillance

The use of wearable health technology has raised questions about users’ right to privacy. Most health trackers collect large amounts of sensitive information – including heart rate, sleep patterns, movement, and blood glucose levels – stored in apps connected to companies.

Critics argue that there is a lack of clear transparency in how this data is used, shared, or sold, and that state-encouraged collection of health data risks blurring the line between voluntary health monitoring and systematic surveillance.

While Kennedy emphasizes voluntariness, some analysts warn that large-scale campaigns and technology adaptations by major companies may create indirect pressure to participate.

As more institutions – such as employers, schools, or businesses – adapt to health tracking, there is a risk that those who opt out may be seen as deviant, receive worse conditions, or be excluded from parts of society.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/world/fury-from-israel-lobby-as-trump-halts-bombing-campaign/

World

Fury from Israel lobby as Trump halts bombing campaign

Donald Trump's USA

Published 25 June 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Emily Shrader, an American political activist, has long worked to expand U.S. support for Israel and advocate for regime change in Iran.
3 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Donald Trump’s harsh criticism of Israel and his call for the country to stop bombing Iranian targets has not been well received by the influential and bellicose Israel lobby.

American-Israeli opinion maker and lobbyist Emily Schrader is one of those calling for the hostilities to continue, going so far as to claim that Trump “is in bed with Qatar”.

Although the stated goal of the Israeli and then US attacks on Iran was initially claimed to be to eliminate the country’s ability to develop nuclear weapons, a long line of Israeli and neoconservative American voices have quickly shifted focus and are now demanding that the Iranian regime be overthrown – with US help.

After Trump criticized Israel in harsh terms and ordered the country’s military to stop bombing Iran, the Israeli lobby’s anger was not long in coming – and several of the figures who recently praised Trump for bombing Iranian nuclear facilities are now trying to discredit the president and portray him as an enemy.

One of those most upset that Trump has taken a stand against Israel’s bombing is Emily Schrader, who has long been involved in two issues: overthrowing and replacing the Iranian regime and increasing US support for Israel.

The lobbyist, who has both US and Israeli citizenship, claims that Trump “is in bed with Qatar” because he has demanded that the bombings stop.

“It must be done”

She also states that Iran’s leadership must be overthrown – and claims that no other alternatives are acceptable.

“The only way to ensure peace in the region is a regime change in Iran. It doesn’t have to be done through war, but it must be done. Trump is painfully naive as to the ideology and motivating factors of the Islamic regime in Iran”, she claims.

In another angry post, she claims that “In the last 24 hours, Donald Trump guaranteed a future war”.

“They’ll discard and mock him”

Critics point out that the Israel lobby is never satisfied – regardless of the concessions and efforts the US makes to appease Tel Aviv – and that they are only interested in supporting Trump if they can exploit him for their own purposes.

“Trump literally bombed Iran – he did that! – for this country’s government. The next day, if he doesn’t obey the next order they make up for him to do, Netanyahuists say he’s part of the Qatar World Conspiracy”, says Curt Mills, executive director of The American Conservative.

“If this isn’t evidence they’ll discard and mock him once he’s no longer president and they’ve used him, nothing is”, he continues.

The Nordic Times has previously highlighted the remarkable influence of the Israel lobby over American politics – and, among other things, pointed out how AIPAC, the largest pro-Israel lobby group, openly boasted during the last election that almost all the candidates they had financed won their respective elections.

“AIPAC endorsed 362 candidates and won in every primary we had a candidate on the ballot! We helped our friends win and defeated 11 anti-Israel candidates”, they proudly declared.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

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