The head of the European Central Bank raised concerns about a fresh trade war if Donald Trump is re-elected US president.
According to ECP president Christine Lagarde Donald Trump’s potential election is “clearly a threat” to Europe judging by the policies he pursued during his first term in office.
RT reports: Lagarde’s comments, which were delivered in an interview with France 2 on Thursday, come amid growing anxiety among EU leaders over a potential Trump victory in November’s election.
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“If we draw lessons from history, by which I mean to say the manner in which he [Trump] carried out the first four years of his mandate, it is clearly a threat,” Lagarde stated.
“It is enough to look at trade tariffs, the commitment to NATO, the fight against climate change,” she added, noting that “in these three areas alone, in the past, US interests were not aligned with those of Europe.”
Lagarde, who has headed the ECB since November 2019, had been critical of Trump before, particularly over trade tariffs. However, her latest comments are unusually strident for the head of a central bank, a role that typically precludes involvement in politics.
Meanwhile, as the 2024 race moves into high gear, current US President Joe Biden faces lagging approval ratings. He finished last year with a job approval rating of just 39%, the lowest for any of the last seven presidents at the same point in their first term, according to Gallup. By comparison, Trump ended his single term in office with 45% approval, while former President Barack Obama had a slightly lower 43% rating.
