European boycott of US goods on agenda amid Trump’s brutal tariffs
Cargo containers are stacked at PortMiami on April 9, 2025 in Miami, Florida. US President Donald Trump brushed off global market panic Wednesday after China and the European Union announced retaliatory tariffs, telling Americans to stay "cool" despite his spiraling trade war. Trump dug in after superpower rival Beijing slapped massive 84 percent levies on US goods, just hours after his latest salvo of tariffs took effect on dozens of trading partners around the world. (AFP Photo)
US President Donald Trump’s high tariffs for European products created shockwaves accoss the continent. Boycott of US goods including American digital services such as ChatGPT may be on agenda as respondents of a survey in Austria indicate such a political leaning.
More than 70% of Austrians would be willing to boycott US goods to protest US President Donald Trump’s trade policies, according to a survey released Thursday.
The poll, conducted by the Austrian Gallup Institute, also found that 55% of Austrians consider Trump’s presidency a threat to the European Union.
Only 32% are in favor of compromises with the US.
Amid heightened transatlantic tensions, 60% of Austrians said the EU should become more independent from the United States during Trump’s presidency.
Only 20% expect positive developments for the EU during Trump’s term of office.
Boycott of US goods may include American digital services
While the vast majority said they could boycott US goods, avoiding American digital services proved less popular.
Just 45% of Austrians said they could stop using social networks such as Facebook, WhatsApp or X; 47% said they could forgo shopping platforms like Amazon; 53% could go without streaming services such as Netflix or Spotify; and 66% said American artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT are dispensable.
The survey also revealed a wide age gap on digital boycotts, with younger respondents less willing to give up US platforms.
Travel boycotts were more popular, with 60% saying a vacation to the United States during Trump’s presidency was out of the question.
“The introduction of higher tariffs reinforces the desire for the EU to play a more independent role in transatlantic relations. Compromise is hardly seen as a solution,” writes Andrea Fronaschütz from the Gallup Institute in a commentary on the survey.
