For motorcycle lovers in Sweden, Harley-Davidson is the hottest brand on the road. Jack Daniel’s whiskey beckons from the bar at British pubs. In France, Levi’s jeans are all about chic.

But in the tumult of President Donald Trump’s trade war with Europe, many European consumers are starting to avoid U.S. products and services in what appears to be a decisive and potentially long-term shift away from buying American, according to a new assessment by the European Central Bank.

In April, Trump imposed a 10% blanket tariff on America’s trading partners and threatened “reciprocal tariffs” on many of those, including the European Union. Companies like Tesla and McDonald’s are seeing customers in Europe put off by “Made in America.”

“The newly imposed U.S. trade tariffs on European products are causing European consumers to think twice about what’s in their shopping cart,” the ECB wrote in a blog post about its research on consumer behavior. “Consumers are very willing to actively move away from U.S. products and services.”

Europeans Test Grassroot Boycotts

Europeans had already begun testing grassroots boycotts on American products, including Heinz ketchup and Lay’s potato chips, shortly after Trump took office. His threats to take over Greenland, part of Denmark, energized Danes to organize no-buy campaigns on Facebook. Tesla owners in Sweden slapped “shame” bumper stickers on their cars to distance themselves from Elon Musk, the Tesla CEO who is one of Trump’s top advisers.

But Europeans’ anguish over Trump’s treatment of America’s longtime allies has hardened as he has moved to rewire world trade with steep global tariffs, the central bank found.

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Trump took particular aim at the European Union, which he called “very, very bad to us” for not buying more from the United States, and threatened the bloc with a 20% “reciprocal” tariff last month. Such talk bewildered many Europeans and rattled EU leaders, who retaliated with a 25% duty on many U.S. goods.

Both sides called a temporary truce after Trump abruptly reversed course and delayed tariffs until the summer. But the 10% baseline tariff is still in place, and a trans-Atlantic trade war could easily flare again.

And even if a trade deal is reached, Europe’s newfound wariness of its longtime ally will not easily be unwound. The ECB study found that even if a mere 5% tax was placed on American products sold in Europe, Europeans would be inclined to shun them.

What is new, the central bank said, is a “preference” among European consumers “to move away from U.S. products and brands altogether,” no matter what the cost. That was the case even for households that could bear the brunt of higher prices.

“Even though they could afford more expensive U.S. products and services, they consciously choose alternatives,” the bank said. “This suggests that consumers’ reactions may not just be a temporary response to tariff increases, but instead signal a possible long-term structural shift in consumer preferences away from U.S. products and brands.”

App Tells Consumers if Product Is American

In Germany and Italy, developers have created apps that scan grocery and clothing items for people who want to make sure they are not buying American. The top app, BrandSnap, even suggests European alternatives.

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On a French-run “Boycott USA!” Facebook channel with 31,000 members, people boast about buying Adidas, a German brand, over Nike and New Balance, and post stories about avoiding travel to the United States.

In a Danish Facebook group with 95,000 members, people try to help each other figure out if products like Gillette Mach 3 razor blades or Schweppes soda are from the United States. One run from Sweden promotes alternatives to Airbnb and is calling for a European boycott on Meta platforms for a week in May.

Europeans have also posted online to say they have begun canceling subscriptions to U.S. streaming giants, including Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video.

Some consumers who have boycotted Amazon have gone online to lament that delivery from alternate e-commerce platforms in their countries is slower or less reliable but say that they are staying the course.

Millions of people still buy American goods and services worldwide, but U.S. companies and investors are keeping a close eye on international markets for signs of anti-American sentiment related to Trump’s policies.

In Europe, Tesla sales continued a sharp decline in April, data showed, including an 81% plunge in Sweden from a year earlier, as protests against Musk’s political views held steady.

And McDonald’s said it was observing growing negative attitudes abroad toward U.S. brands, especially in Northern Europe and Canada.

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International consumers are “going to be cutting back their purchase of American brands, and we’ve seen an uptick in anti-American sentiment,” the burger chain’s CEO, Chris Kempczinski, said in a call with analysts last week.

The McDonald’s brand does not seem to have been damaged yet — same-store sales in Canada and Europe were down only 1% in the first quarter from a year earlier. But there is an “8- to a 10-point increase in anti-American sentiment,” he said.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

President Donald Trump announced plans for sweeping reciprocal tariffs Wednesday, saying “our country has been looted, pillaged, raped, plundered” by other nations.

Of the 180 countries, including U.S. allies, that are now being hit with retaliatory tariffs, Russia isn’t on the list.

Following Trump’s Rose Garden announcement, a White House official told NOTUS’ Jasmine Wright that Russia is “not on this list because sanctions from the Ukraine war have already rendered trade between the two countries as zero.”

War-torn Ukraine will face a 10 percent retaliatory tariff. In addition, many other former Soviet satellites and republics are also on Trump’s list.

Belarus, Cuba and North Korea, other countries that face US sanctions, also weren’t hit with reciprocal tariffs.

However, Iran and Syria, also facing heavy embargoes and sanctions, were hit with additional tariffs on Wednesday of 10 and 40 percent, respectively.

Why It Matters
Russia is seeking to remove the Western sanctions imposed over its invasion of Ukraine that have caused substantial pain to its economy. The European Union has described its own sprawling sanctions against Russia as “massive and unprecedented.”

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Beginning during former President Joe Biden’s administration, the U.S. has imposed a wide range of sanctions against Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine, interference in foreign elections, cyberattacks and human rights abuses. These measures target key sectors of the Russian economy, including energy, finance, defense and technology. Major Russian banks have been cut off from the global financial system, assets of Russian oligarchs have been frozen, and export controls have restricted access to critical technologies.

Sanctions have also focused on individuals close to President Vladimir Putin, aiming to pressure the Kremlin by isolating its political and economic elite. In coordination with allies in Europe and Asia, the U.S. has expanded these sanctions since 2022, seeking to weaken Russia’s ability to fund its war efforts while supporting Ukraine through military and financial aid.

Senators Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, and Connecticut Democrat Richard Blumenthal are the lead sponsors of a bipartisan bill which would impose new primary and secondary sanctions against Russia and entities supporting Putin’s aggression if Moscow does not engage in peace talks or undermines Ukraine’s sovereignty.

Amid concerns the Trump administration would hand Moscow an advantage in peace negotiations, the bill sponsored by 25 Republicans and 25 Democrats signals cross-party consensus against Putin’s aggression.

The bill includes imposing 500-percent tariffs on imported goods from countries that buy Russian oil, gas, uranium and other products.

On Sunday, Trump also vowed to impose “secondary tariffs” on nations that purchase oil from Russia if Moscow fails to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine.

The proposed tariffs, which range from 25 to 50 percent, would therefore not directly target Russia but would penalize foreign countries that continue trading with it, thereby discouraging global support for the Russian oil industry.

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Newsweek

A South Korean court on Friday ordered impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol to be released from jail, a move that could allow Yoon to stand trial for his rebellion charge without being physically detained.

Yoon was arrested and indicted in January over the Dec. 3 martial law decree that plunged the country into political turmoil. The opposition-controlled parliament separately voted to impeach him, leading to his suspension from office.

The hearings in his impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court concluded in late February, and that court is expected to rule soon on whether to formally remove him from office or reinstate him.

The Seoul Central District Court said it accepted Yoon’s request to be released from jail because the legal period of his formal arrest expired before he was indicted.

The court also cited the need to resolve questions over the legality of the investigations on Yoon. Yoon’s lawyers have accused the investigative agency that detained him before his formal arrest of lacking legal authority to probe rebellion charges.

Investigators have alleged that the martial-law decree amounted to rebellion. If he’s convicted of that offense, he would face the death penalty or life imprisonment.

Yoon’s defense team welcomed the court’s decision and urged prosecutors to release him immediately. The presidential office also welcomed the court’s decision, saying it hopes Yoon will swiftly return to work.

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However, South Korea law allows prosecutors to continue to hold a suspect whose arrest has been suspended by a court temporarily while pursuing an appeal.

The main liberal opposition Democratic Party, which led Yoon’s Dec. 14 impeachment, called on prosecutors to immediately appeal the court’s ruling.

Yoon’s martial law decree, which involved the dispatch of troops and police forces to the National Assembly, evoked traumatic memories of past military rules among many South Koreans. The decree lasted only six hours, as enough lawmakers managed to get into an assembly hall and voted to overturn it unanimously.

Yoon later argued his decree was only meant to inform the people of the danger of the opposition Democratic Party, which undermined his agenda and impeached top officials, and said he dispatched troops to the assembly only in order to maintain order. But some top military and police officers sent to the assembly have told Constitutional Court hearings or investigators that Yoon ordered them to drag out lawmakers to obstruct a vote on his decree or detain politicians.

If the Constitutional Court upholds Yoon’s impeachment, he will be officially thrown out of office and a national election will be held to choose his successor within two months. If the court rejects his impeachment but he is still in jail, it’s unclear whether and how soon he will be able to exercise his presidential powers.

Massive rallies by opponents and supporters of Yoon have filled the streets of Seoul and other major South Korean cities. Whatever the Constitutional Court decides, experts say it will likely further polarize the country and intensify its conservative-liberal divide.

Yoon is the first South Korean president to be arrested while in office. South Korean law gives a president immunity from most criminal prosecution, but not for grave charges like rebellion or treason.

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By law, a president in South Korea has the power to put the country under martial law in wartime and similar emergency situations, but many experts say South Korea wasn’t in such a state when Yoon declared martial law.

The Washington Times

Saudi Arabia has deported 8,733 illegal residents in the past week as part of a nationwide crackdown on residency, labour, and border violations, the Ministry of Interior announced on Saturday.

Between January 30 and February 5, security forces carried out joint field operations in collaboration with multiple government agencies, leading to the arrest of 21,477 individuals across various regions of the Kingdom. Those detained included 13,638 violators of the Residency Law, 4,663 violators of the Border Security Law, and 3,176 violators of the Labor Law, the ministry said.

The operation also apprehended 1,316 people attempting to cross the border into Saudi Arabia illegally, with 40 per cent identified as Yemeni nationals, 58 percent as Ethiopian nationals, and 2 per cent from other nationalities. An additional 77 individuals were arrested while trying to leave the country unlawfully.

Authorities also referred 28,661 violators to their diplomatic missions to obtain travel documents, while 2,919 individuals were in the process of completing travel reservations.

The crackdown extended beyond undocumented individuals, with 13 people arrested for facilitating illegal entry, providing shelter, or employing violators.

The Ministry of Interior confirmed that 37,120 individuals—33,547 men and 3,573 women — are currently undergoing legal procedures ahead of further punitive measures.

Saudi law imposes severe penalties on those assisting illegal migration, including prison sentences of up to 15 years and fines of up to SR1 million ($266,000). The ministry warned that vehicles and properties used to transport or harbor violators will be confiscated.

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Gulf News

All 10 people on the Bering Air caravan that was reported missing Thursday are confirmed dead, Alaska State Troopers said.

“Our hearts are heavy with grief as we process this heartbreaking news. At this time, our thoughts are with the families and loved ones of those affected by this tragedy. We recognize the profound loss this has caused, and we want to extend our sincerest condolences to everyone impacted,” Alaska State Troopers said in a statement Saturday.

Efforts to recover the victims’ bodies were expected to begin Saturday on the sea ice where the plane crashed, 34 miles southeast of Nome, Alaska, according to the Alaska State Troopers.

The wreckage was found on Friday with three people initially found dead inside, the Coast Guard said.

The remaining seven people were also believed to be inside the wreckage but were “inaccessible due to the condition of the plane,” the Coast Guard said Friday.

“Our heartfelt condolences are with those affected by this tragic incident,” the Coast Guard said.

There were nine passengers, all adults, and a pilot on board the commuter plane, authorities said.

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The Alaska State Troopers will handle the recovery of the bodies, Coast Guard Lt. Commander Mike Salerno told ABC News. The Alaska National Guard also said Saturday that it would provide personnel and equipment to help with the operation including two HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters, a Nome-based UH-60L Black Hawk, an HC -130J Combat King II and a team of pararescuemen.

The wreckage was found by a search and rescue crew on a USCG MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and then two rescue swimmers were lowered down to survey the plane.

The US State Department has issued a halt to nearly all existing foreign assistance and paused new aid, according to an internal memo sent to officials and US embassies abroad.

The leaked notice follows President Trump’s executive order issued on Monday for a 90-day pause in foreign development assistance pending a review of efficiencies and consistency with his foreign policy.

The United States is the world’s biggest international aid donor spending $68bn in 2023 according to government figures. The State Department notice appears to affect everything from development assistance to military aid.

It makes exceptions only for emergency food aid and for military funding for Israel and Egypt. The leaked memo’s contents have been confirmed by the BBC.

“No new funds shall be obligated for new awards or extensions of existing awards until each proposed new award or extension has been reviewed and approved,” says the memo to staff.

It adds that US officials “shall immediately issue stop-work orders, consistent with the terms of the relevant award, until such time as the secretary shall determine, following a review.”

It also orders a wide scale review of all foreign assistance to be completed within 85 days to ensure the aid adheres to President Trump’s foreign policy goals.

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Secretary of State Marco Rubio – the US’s top diplomat – has previously stated that all US spending abroad should take place only if it makes America “stronger”, “safer” or “more prosperous”.

One former senior State Department official told the BBC the notice meant a “potentially huge” impact on foreign aid programmes funded by the US.

“One can imagine, for example, the humanitarian de-mining programmes around the world suddenly being told stop work. That’s a pretty big deal,” said Josh Paul, who oversaw Congressional relations on weapons transfers at the State Department until late 2023.

Dave Harden, a former US Agency of International Aid (USAID) mission director in the Middle East, told the BBC the move was “very significant”, saying it could see humanitarian and development programmes funded by the US around the world being immediately suspended, while the review is carried out.

He said it could affect a wide range of critical development projects including water, sanitation and shelter.

“The employees of the implementing partner or the [non-governmental organisation] would be able to be paid, but actual assistance, I think, needs to be halted,” said Mr Harden.

“I have gone through [assistance suspensions] many times when I was the West Bank and Gaza mission director, but that was specific to that account. This is global,” he said.

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“Not only does it pause assistance, but it puts a ‘stop work’ order in existing contracts that are already funded and underway. It’s extremely broad,” he added.

The AFP news agency reported the funding freeze could also potentially affect Ukraine, which received billions of dollars in weapons under Trump’s predecessor Joe Biden.

Rubio’s memo, justifying the freeze, said it was impossible for the new administration to assess whether existing foreign aid commitments “are not duplicated, are effective and are consistent with President Trump’s foreign policy”.

Rubio has issued a waiver for emergency food assistance, according to the memo.

This comes amid a surge of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip after a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas began, and several other hunger crises around the world, including Sudan.

The memo also said waivers have so far been approved by Rubio for “foreign military financing for Israel and Egypt and administrative expenses, including salaries, necessary to administer foreign military financing”.

The State Department has been approached for comment.

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Credit: BBC