France Criticizes EU-US Trade Deal Amid Tariff Agreement

European leaders have faced significant backlash following the EU's trade deal with U.S. President Donald Trump, which imposes a 15% tariff on most EU exports to the U.S. while removing tariffs on some American products. The agreement, intended to prevent a harsher trade war, has been criticized especially in France, with Prime Minister Francois Bayrou calling it a 'submission' and a 'dark day' for the alliance of free peoples. Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz acknowledged the deal avoids a more damaging conflict but warned of significant economic harm, particularly to the German export-oriented economy and auto industry. EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic defended the pact as the best possible outcome under difficult circumstances, emphasizing that a 30% tariff would have been far worse. Industry figures, such as Wolfgang Niedermark from Germany’s BDI federation, described the agreement as an inadequate compromise that risks European competitiveness. Overall, the deal has exposed divisions within the EU about how to balance economic realities with protecting European interests amid Trump's assertive trade policies.