President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the European Union was born to "screw" the United States, laying bare his hostility to the longtime US partner as he detailed new tariffs.

Trump's month back in the White House has been marked by soaring friction between Washington and its European allies, with the United States abruptly shifting gears on support for Ukraine and Germany's likely next leader urging Europe to seek take greater control of its own defense.

"Look, let's be honest, the European Union was formed in order to screw the United States," Trump
"That's the purpose of it, and they've done a good job of it. But now I'm president," Trump said.
The European Commission shot back that the European Union is "the world's largest free market" and has been "a boon for the United States."

Former Swedish prime minister Carl Bildt, writing on X, said Trump had a "seriously distorted view of history" as the EU was "actually set up to prevent war on the European continent."