Belgian Prime Minister responds to Trump: "Answering stupidity with stupidity is not wise"

The American President Donald Trump is causing a shockwave in the global market with his import tariffs. This is a signal for the Belgian Prime Minister to remain calm and act thoughtfully.

Prime Minister Bart De Wever calls the new American import tariffs "a real catastrophe for the global economy". "At the same time, there are opportunities in a crisis," he said on Thursday afternoon in the Chamber. "It seems to me the perfect moment for Europe to start assertively entering into free trade agreements with new partners around the world, who are looking to us more than ever."

The Belgian Prime Minister supports the stance of the European Commission. But he does issue a warning. "Logically, a proportional package of countermeasures is provided for, but I support the goal of (Commission President) Ursula von der Leyen to quickly work towards a negotiated solution. Atlanticism is older and greater than Trump. Answering stupidity with stupidity is not wise."

(FVDV - Source: Belga/Politico - Photo: Picture by © European Union 2025 via Wikimedia Commons licensed under CC BY 4.0)