According to Bloomberg, the firm response came in a conference call in early January when a senior State Department official threatened European car makers would be hit with tariffs unless the European Union backed Trump’s hard line against Iran.
Diplomats from Germany, France and the UK said that such tactics were completely unacceptable and would not help the president achieve his goals, according to US and European officials familiar with the exchange.
The State Department team was struck by the firmness of the European line and passed their message on to the White House, and officials from both sides noted the US administration dialed back the pressure on its European allies in the days that followed.
Brian Hook, the US' special representative for Iran, declined to comment when asked about the call, according to the report. A spokesman for the White House wasn’t immediately available to comment, either, the report adds.
The episode suggests a growing resolve among European officials to stand their ground as Trump looks to use trade policy to advance a widening range of US geopolitical goals.
MNA/PR