According to former Prime Minister and Dean of the Italian Academy of Political Science, U.S. President Donald Trump calls “Liberation Day” trade tariffs “crazy, pure madness.”

He said on Friday, speaking to CNBC’s Silvia Amaro on the coast of Lake Como at the Lake Ambrossetti Forum, he said that Trump was exploiting debris inside the EU, adding that for the group, it was crucial for the collective.

He further warned that the duty to sweep the United States (he called it a “crazy frontal lobe attack on the world”) would be painful for the economy and individuals within the United States and the countries targeted by the tariffs. He acknowledged that retaliation might need to be taken to protect the European economy, but warned: “This reaction would be worse if the reaction to Trump was to shut down Europe in the fortress.”

CNBC has contacted the White House and is awaiting a reply.

His comments broadly echo the sentiment of other European officials, saying it would prepare a countermeasure if negotiations with Washington fail after the group attacked U.S. EU chief Ursula von der Leyen’s imports due to a 20% reciprocal tariff. France and Germany both called for a coordinated response, with German Economy Minister Robert Habeck saying Trump will “Crack under pressure. ”

“Now it needs to be put into Europe in the alliance with other countries, and then we will see who is the stronger person in this arm wrestling,” Habek said.

European economic growth could be under enormous pressure after tariffs, which could prompt local producers to lower prices to defend their export market share. Deutsche Bank calculated that the hit to tariffs on euro zone GDP will be 0.4-0.8 percentage points, which is greater than the 0.3-0.4pp range forecast in the bank’s 2025-2026 GDP forecast.

Investment Bank said this “with the economic stagnation between mid-2025 and 2025” while allowing “a forecast of growth for the European region at +1.0%, which could be broadly effective, thanks to the initial growth benefits of defense/infrastructure spending” initiated by the reinvestment in Europe.