【By Liu Bai, Observers Network】According to CCTV News, on the evening of July 25th, US President Trump departed from Washington for Scotland. During this European trip, Trump plans to hold talks with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, in Scotland on the 27th. Both sides' officials have expressed cautious optimism about the US-EU trade agreement, believing that a framework agreement may be reached.

Upon arriving in the UK, Trump told reporters that he would visit his two golf industries in Scotland and meet with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Scottish First Minister John Swinney, and von der Leyen.

Von der Leyen has already departed for Scotland on the 26th and has arrived in Glasgow, preparing for the meeting with Trump. Although US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and US Trade Representative Katherine Tai are still in Washington, they are expected to arrive in Scotland on the morning of the 27th.

The EU negotiators hope that this meeting will finalize a trade agreement to avoid the US imposing a 30% tariff on European goods. Both US and EU officials have expressed cautious optimism, believing that a framework trade agreement is possible.

July 26th, Ayrshire, Scotland, US President Trump visited "Trump Turnberry Resort". IC Photo

The White House said that Trump will meet with von der Leyen at 3:30 PM local time on the 27th.

It is reported that before the meeting between the two, negotiations between Raimondo and senior EU officials continued until late on the 26th, with intense discussions over the final tariff levels on EU steel, automobiles, and pharmaceutical products.

Some sources familiar with the negotiation process said that the negotiations were quite intense at times.

Previously, Trump had threatened that if the EU did not reach an agreement with the US by August 1st, he would impose a 30% tariff on all EU exports to the US, which would further increase the existing tariffs of 25% on cars and their parts, and 50% on steel and aluminum. In addition, Trump has launched a series of investigations that could lead to taxes on chips, pharmaceuticals, and aerospace components.

As the negotiations have been difficult, more and more EU member states have called for retaliatory tariffs on nearly 100 billion euros of imported American products. In 2023, the total trade between the EU and the US reached 1.6 trillion euros.

Trump has repeatedly accused the EU of taking advantage of the US. On the 25th, when Trump arrived in Scotland to play golf and meet with British officials, he stated that there are still about 20 "issues" remaining to be resolved between the US and the EU. He added that the EU "very much wants to reach an agreement."

In recent days, the US and the EU continue to negotiate fiercely over the tariff issue. It is reported that Trump has made higher demands in recent negotiations, proposing to set a minimum tariff of 15% to 20% on EU goods in any agreement, hard testing the EU's ability to withstand.

EU officials confirmed that ambassadors from EU member states will hold a meeting on the morning of the 27th to hear the latest progress of the negotiations and approve the agreement that may be reached between Trump and von der Leyen.

If an agreement is reached, the EU will suspend the previously planned implementation of tariffs of up to 30% on 93 billion euros worth of American products on August 7th.

If no agreement is reached, some member states are pushing the European Commission to seek approval to launch its strongest trade response tool - the Anti-Coercion Instrument (ACI) next week.

The ACI came into effect at the end of 2023 and has never been used so far. Many people see it as a "nuclear option," whose ideal role should be deterrence. The ACI allows the 27 EU member states to counteract third countries that exert economic pressure on their member states to force them to change policies. Its scope of action goes far beyond imposing counter-tariffs on American goods.

EU officials said that possible countermeasures could include taxing digital advertising sales and excluding American companies from public procurement, which would severely impact American industries.

The lingering "Epstein case"

Although Trump's schedule remains low-key, the questioning about his relationship with Epstein continues to ferment domestically in the United States, which once again caused Trump's dissatisfaction.

On the 25th, when interviewed, Trump asked the media to focus on "more important issues" and "other people."

"You're making such a big deal out of a small thing!" Trump said, "Stop talking about me. You should focus on the greatest six months in presidential history."

On the morning of the 26th, Trump appeared on the golf course, but there was no public activity scheduled that day. Due to enhanced security, journalists and supporters were restricted outside.

The White House said that Trump played golf that day with his son Eric Trump, US Ambassador to the UK Warren Stephens, and his son, and White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt was also present.

Two insiders revealed that White House officials hope that Trump stays away from the spotlight for a while, allowing the Epstein case controversy to gradually subside.

However, the problems troubling Trump are not only the Epstein case.

Away from the golf course in Edinburgh, hundreds of anti-Trump protesters gathered outside the US Consulate, with some holding signs featuring photos of Trump and Epstein, and others holding signs supporting Palestine.

Kate Cartmell, a 31-year-old resident of Edinburgh, said she was worried about the ongoing conflict in Gaza for 21 months and dissatisfied with Trump's attacks on "democracy," so she decided to participate in the protest. She was angry at the warm reception given to Trump by Scottish and British officials.

"If you lay out the red carpet for someone who puts their own citizens and asylum seekers in concentration camps, you are an accomplice," she said.

Another protester, Edinburgh-based historical novelist Janet MacLeod Trotter, said what particularly angered her was Trump's use of his mother's name during this trip.

During this trip, Trump will unveil a new golf course near Aberdeen named after his mother, Mary Ann MacLeod. Mary was born and raised on a small island in Scotland before emigrating to the US.

"We have had enough of him using political influence to oppress others around the world... He is here now, using this to profit from his business," Trotter said.

Gabriele Negro, an Italian working at the University of Edinburgh, also said he came to protest to express his disagreement with Trump's stance on immigration policy and the situation in Gaza.

This article is an exclusive article by Observers Network. Reproduction without permission is prohibited.

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