The summer of 2025 began like many others—with vacations, market expectations, and a slow return of business activity. But behind the scenes of the global economy, a threat was growing that could upend global trade flows. It came from Washington, in the person of the 45th President of the United States, Donald Trump, who, despite his controversial reputation, was once again in the spotlight. On July 12, 2025, he made a loud announcement: starting August 1, 30% tariffs would be imposed on goods from the European Union and Mexico. The reason, according to Trump, was 'destructive and unfair trade practices that harm the American working class.' The announcement came amid slowing U.S. economic growth and approaching elections. However, this was only the beginning. Almost immediately, a chain reaction began. The European Commission convened an emergency meeting. EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič stated that the U.S. measures would 'effectively destroy' €4.4 billion a day in transatlantic trade. Germany and France condemned Washington’s actions, and the Italian prime minister compared them to 'economic blackmail.' Investors reacted nervously: industrial sector indices in Europe dropped, especially in the automotive and metal industries. But the commodities market responded even more sharply—especially oil and uranium. It was due to a leaked proposal by U.S. senators to impose 500% tariffs on countries importing Russian oil. This included India, Turkey, and partly China—major importers of Russian resources. Three days after the announcement, details were leaked to the press: Trump had personally sent letters to G20 leaders with warnings. 'Either you revise your trade, or we’ll raise tariffs even higher,' quoted one paragraph published by Meduza. Importantly, some tariff implementations were delayed until August to 'avoid panic in the markets.' Meanwhile, protests erupted in Mexico and Canada. The Canadian parliament accused the U.S. of 'unacceptable interference in the sovereign economy of allies,' and Mexico’s industrial chamber warned that the new tariffs threatened up to 300,000 jobs. American lawyers took the issue to court. A group of companies challenged Trump’s actions, citing overreach under the IEEPA law. The court’s decision became a turning point: some tariffs were declared unconstitutional, especially those imposed without Congressional approval. Meanwhile, Europe prepared its response. The European Commission was developing 'anti-tariff packages'—from mirror duties to restrictions on American services and software. There were rumors of limiting U.S. access to European exchanges and research centers. Ursula von der Leyen, in her speech in Brussels, emphasized: 'We are ready for dialogue, but not for diktat.' The summer of 2025 became a turning point. The world began slowly moving toward fragmentation, where trade depended more on geopolitics than market logic. And companies, from small businesses to multinational corporations, faced a choice—adapt or disappear.