What was that all about? Last Friday, the US President once again lashed out at the EU in his usual acerbic tone. The EU, he claimed, was founded to rip off the United States. Forty-eight hours later, Trump was suddenly cooing that he had agreed to extend the negotiations until July 9 – „and it was an honour to do so.“ Excuse me?

Not even psychotherapists can interpret such mood swings. Since it’s impossible to determine why he behaves this way, another question arises: What has Trump achieved with his remarks? Well, he has at least succeeded in inserting parts of his narrative into the public debate. For instance, the claim that the EU is „to blame“ for the US trade deficit and therefore obligated to reduce it – which is certainly debatable. Or the idea that the British were smarter because they struck a deal, even though it's questionable whether that deal is truly a success for the UK.

So, what now, EU? Lately, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has taken a steady – critics say rigid – stance. Always ready to negotiate, with offers of mutual zero tariffs and large purchases of gas and soybeans. At the same time, she's prepared to impose counter-tariffs if the negotiations fail. Calls are growing louder to increase pressure by threatening digital service taxes. That would be a sharp sword and would hit Big Tech hard. Still, there are good arguments against it. Diplomats warn that the EU is underestimating its dependence on US tech – for example, domestic machinery manufacturers relying on American cloud services. The risk of shooting oneself in the foot is high.

It may therefore be wise for the EU to stay the course and gradually enhance its proposals. For those hoping for a more offensive approach from the Europeans in the trade dispute, this might be sobering. But they must provide arguments for why a tougher stance would make Trump back down – and not escalate the situation into a crash that drags both economies into the abyss. Supporters of the current negotiation strategy do have one strong argument on their side: That Trump was ranting so angrily last Friday might be a sign of how frustrated he is that the Europeans haven’t caved in. So far, his attempts to divide them have come to nothing. Trump’s fury as a badge of honour? At the very least, the EU isn’t doing as badly as some critics might suggest in the heat of the moment.