Trump's EU trade deal ushers in a golden age for blue-collar workers

USA Today

29-07-2025

Critics can hate Donald Trump's personality all they want, but the president's ability to forge trade deals that favor American workers shouldn't be discounted.
Between golf rounds in Scotland, President Donald Trump secured a deal with the European Union this weekend that promises an extraordinary boon for American workers.
After months of negotiations, the EU succumbed to Trump's pressure on trade, agreeing on July 27 to 15% tariffs on many U.S. imports from Europe. The EU also agreed to buy $750 billion worth of oil, gas and nuclear fuel from U.S. energy producers over the next three years. And Europe's governing body agreed to invest $600 billion in U.S. operations.
Details on the energy and investment stipulations are vague for now. But if they happen at anywhere close to the levels promised, they will be a huge boost for the U.S. economy and drive job growth in agriculture, energy and other vital sectors.
Trump's EU trade deal is fuel for US economy
The EU deal is a big deal on multiple fronts.
When Trump threatened high tariffs in April, stock markets plummeted. Critics claimed Trump was wrecking the economy, and analysts raised fears of a recession this year.
Three months later, the Nasdaq and S&P 500 have set multiple record highs, job growth is strong and forecasters expect a healthy growth in gross domestic product when the second quarter number is released this week.
I've heard few critics, save perhaps comedian Bill Maher, acknowledge that tariffs functioned as excellent leverage to persuade countries to agree to more favorable trade terms with the U.S.
Many of those critics underestimated the president's negotiation skills. The Financial Times reported that one European ambassador remarked, 'Trump worked out exactly where our pain threshold is."
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Trump's EU deal will help blue-collar workers
The decades-long push for young people to attend college rather than gain the skills needed to work in a trade has created a labor gap. A McKinsey study released in 2024 found that manufacturers and construction companies face a hiring crunch for carpenters, electricians, welders and plumbers.
This EU deal might help change that as hundreds of billions of dollars are poured into the energy industry and other sectors. The financial incentives to work in the skilled trades could well be better than ever.
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Mike Rowe, former host of the television show "Dirty Jobs," has become an ambassador for blue-collar employment via his foundation, which offers scholarships to help young people complete a trade program.
On July 22, Rowe told Brian Kilmeade on his Fox News show that "paralegal, and anything creative, writing in general, coding … AI is going to come for those" jobs.
But Rowe said there's never been a better time to become a skilled laborer: "We are entering the golden age of plumbing, steamfitting, pipefitting, welding, HVAC. Those jobs are not going to be impacted by' artificial intelligence.
Critics can hate Trump's personality all they want, but the president's ability to forge trade deals that favor American workers shouldn't be discounted.
I voted for this and would do so again. After months of economic wins, I'd like to know why you didn't?
Nicole Russell is a columnist at USA TODAY and a mother of four who lives in Texas. Contact her at [e-mail] and follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @russell_nm. Sign up for her weekly newsletter, The Right Track, here.