The Irish Independent's View: Donald Trump's tariff woes may turn into Europe's golden opportunity
Were he to do so, a quote from Julius Caesar about 'a tide in the affairs of man' and how 'we must take the current when it serves, Or lose our ventures' seems pertinent.
Portentous events within the US courts, and in his own political circle, should give pause for thought.
The ruling putting a brake on his 'Liberation Day' tariff wall is a setback, no matter what Republicans say.
The sudden departure of the world's richest man, Elon Musk, from his court of invincibles has suddenly introduced a sense of vulnerability to the administration.
Insiders played down the implications of the tariffs block being turned around on appeal.
'If anybody thinks this caught the administration by surprise, think again,' trade adviser Peter Navarro said.
But the timing is fortuitous, to say the least, for the EU, as it goes eyeball to eyeball in a crucial stage of crunch trade talks with Trump.
Brussels is in a desperate race to avoid a 50pc general tariff that the president threatened.
However, a 'very nice' call with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has secured a stay on this until July 9.
The finding by the US Court of International Trade that the president had exceeded his authority in invoking the International Emergency Economic Powers Act as a basis for imposing draconian levies is a blow.
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Analysts feel the impact may be limited for the trade talks, given the other tariff options available.
However, the court's insistence that the US constitution confers on Congress exclusive powers to regulate commerce with other nations, and therefore could not be over-ridden by the president, may embolden countries to hold out, at the very least, until there is greater clarity.
As noted by Letitia James, the attorney general of New York, one of 12 states involved in the lawsuit: 'The law is clear: no president has the power to single-handedly raise taxes whenever they like.'
The tariffs saga is likely to have many more twists and turns, as illustrated by the US federal appeals court decision last night to temporarily reinstate the tariffs.
Trump has bristled at the latest 'Taco' label he has been tagged with (Trump always chickens out) when the markets put the heat on, but there is enough truth in it to encourage some to be defiant.
Brussels has been given another card to play, and it would be naive not to. Kowtowing can only result in more volatility as Trump will surely up the ante. If the bloc is to be taken seriously as a player on the world stage, it must flex some financial muscle.
The departure of Elon Musk also suggests there may be some blood in the water. Quitting only a day after slamming Trump's landmark 'big beautiful bill' for undermining spending cuts suggests division in the ranks.
Trump's difficulty could be the EU's opportunity.
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Irish Times
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The Irish Sun
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Sources in the country have uncovered how the base is being used to develop nuclear-capable missiles with a 2,000-mile range - able to strike US bases in the Tehran's tyrannical regime is using oil and chemical facilities as a cover for nuclear bases, bombshell docs shared with The Sun by the Haunting aerial images expose a network of clandestine sites - including "Rainbow" - used by iron-fist leaders to create terrifying nuclear weapons. A powerful nuclear blast from Iran could have disastrous consequences for the Middle East - and beyond - thanks to the capability of the warheads. Now sources inside Iran have revealed the regime's nuclear weaponisation entity, Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research's (SPND) secret project to accelerate nuclear ability. Hidden under the guise of a chemical production facility, the crowning jewel of the operation is a base known internally as the 'Rangin Kaman (Rainbow) Site". It is some distance from Iran's already known nuke bases, and is masked as a chemical production company known as Diba Energy Siba. Ex-Israeli foreign affairs minister Gabi Ashkenazi warned military force will be the only alternative if talks hit a wall. The former IDF chief of general staff, speaking at a gathering of officials attended by The Sun is Paris, said: "From the national defence perspective, definitely the most important issue is Iran. "I think definitely we have to solve the issue of Gaza, but Iran is the most challenging issue for a simple reason. Advertisement "This is the only potential existential threat to the state of Israel. And I think no government is going to accept a nuclear Iran. "Imagine the 7th of October, and the Iranian nuclear umbrella. Can you imagine what would happen then? So we cannot do it. "Hopefully it will be solved through diplomacy, and if not, we will have to use military force, because we don't have any other alternative." 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Advertisement "So what should concern Israelis - and especially the Israeli government - is that the US seems to be much more motivated in that direction than them. "Currently you have an American president who just goes above our heads and things are happening and things will be concluded. "It's not done until it's over without including Israel simply because Israel is dragging its feet and doesn't show any enthusiasm." A source close to the French government meanwhile insisted Iran must be bombed "immediately" if they develop the capacity to explode a nuke - but not before. Advertisement The insider told The Sun in the French capital: "Iran has the capacity to have about three to five bombs. "But that is only about the uranium. What they don't have is the industrial capacity to make a bomb explode. "Something worrying is that Russians or North Korea could give them this capacity. "If Iran develops capacity to explode a nuclear bomb, they must be bombed immediately. Advertisement "Nobody wants to have a nuclear Iran. "If we discover one day that they could make a nuclear test, the only way would be to bomb Iran. "Israel says that we have to bomb it in advance, before they have the capacity to explode a nuclear bomb."
