🏌️Trump pressures EU into $1.35 trillion deal at his Scotland golf course
Trade & Commerce
Foreign Policy
Ethics & Government Accountability
President Trump announced July 27, 2025, that the U.S. and European Union reached a trade agreement imposing 15% tariffs on most goods while securing $750 billion in EU energy purchases and $600 billion in additional investments. The deal, negotiated with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at Trump's Turnberry golf course, heads off threatened 30% tariffs set for August 1 while Trump mixed personal business promotion with presidential duties.
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Key Takeaways
- <ul><li><strong>Golf course diplomacy enriches presidents while setting global economic policy that costs families thousands</strong>: Foreign officials pay Trump properties for access while negotiating trade deals that raise consumer prices through tariffs. The $1.35 trillion agreement benefits Trump's business empire while American families pay 15% more for European cars
- wine
- and thousands of daily products.</li><li><strong>Threat-based negotiations extract massive concessions when presidents weaponize economic punishment</strong>: Europe committed $750 billion in energy purchases and $600 billion in investments to avoid 30% tariffs that would have devastated their economies. Similar extortion tactics during the 1930s trade wars created international resentment that contributed to global conflict and economic collapse.</li><li><strong>Pay-to-play diplomacy becomes normalized when foreign governments curry favor through presidential businesses</strong>: Von der Leyen's Turnberry visit establishes precedent that world leaders must patronize Trump properties to conduct official negotiations. The Constitution's Emoluments Clause specifically prohibited such arrangements because founders understood how foreign payments corrupt democratic governance.</li><li><strong>Traditional State Department negotiations get replaced by profit-driven presidential deal-making at private clubs</strong>: Career diplomats with regional expertise lose influence to presidential whims negotiated between golf rounds and business promotion. Skilled diplomatic corps developed over centuries gets bypassed for amateur dealmaking that serves personal enrichment rather than national interest.</li></ul>
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Why This Matters
Golf course diplomacy replaces State Department negotiations:
Major trade deals affecting millions now happen at Trump properties, enriching the president while setting global economic policy.
EU pays $1.35 trillion to avoid worse punishment:
Europe commits to massive energy purchases and investments to escape 30% tariffs, showing how threats extract concessions.
Your prices still rise 15% on European goods:
Despite the "deal," Americans pay more for cars, wine, cheese, and thousands of products while Trump claims victory.
Track which world leaders pay Trump properties:
Foreign governments curry favor through Trump businesses—document visits at citizensforethics.org to expose corruption.
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Detailed Content
2
The deal included $______ billion in EU energy purchases and $______ billion in additional investments.
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Trade & Commerce
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Where did President Trump negotiate the trade agreement with the European Union?
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Ethics & Government Accountability
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What level of tariffs did the new agreement impose on most European goods?
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Trade & Commerce
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Which tariff level was threatened by President Trump if no deal was reached by August 1?
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Trade & Commerce
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How much in EU energy purchases did the agreement secure?
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Trade & Commerce
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President Trump mixed personal business promotion with his presidential duties during these negotiations.
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Ethics & Government Accountability
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The agreement headed off threatened 30% tariffs set to take effect on August 1.
True/False
Trade & Commerce