US President Donald Trump has reignited his combative trade agenda with the announcement of a sweeping 100% tariff on imports of branded pharmaceuticals. The measure, set to take effect in October, marks a dramatic escalation in his efforts to force multinational drug manufacturers to relocate production facilities to the United States. While the White House portrays the move as a bid to strengthen domestic industry and reduce prescription drug prices for Americans, critics argue it will raise healthcare costs, destabilize global supply chains, and intensify transatlantic trade frictions.

Trump has long accused America’s trading partners-especially the European Union-of exploiting the US market through unfair pricing practices. During his first presidency, he frequently lashed out at the EU for “ripping off” the United States in pharmaceuticals and other sectors. In April of this year, he labeled Brussels “nastier than China,” claiming that European governments deliberately drive down drug prices domestically, leaving Americans to subsidize pharmaceutical research and development costs.

At that time, Trump stopped short of targeting pharmaceuticals directly. Instead, his administration imposed tariffs on steel, aluminum, electric vehicles, and agricultural goods. The September 26 announcement represents a sharp turn from rhetoric to enforcement, with branded drugs-the crown jewel of European exports to the US-squarely in his crosshairs.

In a post on his social media platform, Trump clarified that exemptions would apply to pharmaceutical firms currently building or expanding facilities in the US. “If you are breaking ground or under construction, you will not face the tariff,” he wrote. This........

© Blitz