Wielding tariffs to impose law of the jungle blindly ignores benefits of mutual respect

The transatlantic partnership, long regarded as the backbone of the global economic order, is at a perilous crossroads. Last week's threat by US President Donald Trump to impose a 50 percent tariff on European goods has drawn pushback from Brussels.

After the US president released a blunt social media post claiming the European Union was exploiting the United States in trade agreements and describing Brussels as "being very difficult to deal with", EU officials and member state representatives responded with a firm line, warning that such coercive tactics could derail critical trade talks and ignite an avoidable economic conflict.

The threat to implement the tariff on June 1 clearly shows the US president is intensifying his tariff tactics in his second term, as highlighted by his threat to hit Apple with a 25 percent tariff on its iPhones unless they are manufactured in the US.