Šefčovič to visit Washington as trade war looms

“We will use our tools to safeguard our economic security and interests. And we will protect our workers, businesses and consumers at every turn,” she said at the Munich Security Conference on Friday.

The threat of reciprocal tariffs from Washington comes on top of trade action on steel and aluminum imports announced by Trump last week.

The U.S. president hit the European Union with tariffs on steel and aluminum in 2018 during his first presidential term, which prompted reciprocal action from Brussels which imposed tariffs on U.S. products like bourbon and Harley Davidson motorcycles.

POLITICO reported last week that top von der Leyen aide Bjoern Seibert has traveled to Washington in recent weeks for talks on avoiding a trade war.

Šefčovič, the Slovak commissioner, would be the most senior EU figure to visit Washington since Trump assumed office on Jan. 20.

Koen Verhelst contributed reporting.