Illustration: Chen Xia/GT
According to Reuters, the US has reached out to Denmark and other European nations asking if they can export eggs as Americans face surging egg prices, the Nordic country's egg association said on Friday. The request from the US Department of Agriculture coincides with a raft of new US tariffs on several countries, including those in Europe, and the threat of more.
In the US, supermarkets and grocery stores have been affected by panic buying, and restaurants have been forced to change their menus. Factors such as avian flu outbreaks have contributed to record egg prices, leading to phenomena like "hen leasing," "egg smuggling," and "egg theft." "After repeated claims of taking over Greenland, the Trump administration is now asking Denmark for extra eggs amid shortage," Fortune ironically said in a headline. The US request for egg exports starkly contrasts with its recent hardline stance toward Europe, where it has threatened to take over Greenland and imposed tariffs.
Currently, the trade war between the US and Europe is escalating. The US imposed tariffs on EU steel and aluminum products, and the EU placed retaliatory tariffs on American whiskey and other products. Europe's retaliatory measures against US tariffs have sparked dissatisfaction in the US, with the EU being labeled as one of the "most hostile and abusive taxing and tariffing authorities in the world, which was formed for the sole purpose of taking advantage of the US." Yet, when egg prices soar in US supermarkets and shelves are empty, the US Department of Agriculture quickly issued emergency procurement requests to European countries like Denmark and the Netherlands. This exposed the US double standards of being "partners when needed, threats when not."
When facing a public crisis, the US has had to turn to the very countries it has sanctioned or threatened - from past attempts to restart Venezuelan oil imports during the energy crisis to seeking eggs from European countries during the egg crisis. This repeated self-contradictory behavior reveals a fundamental misjudgment by US politicians regarding global economic rules: They want to enjoy the benefits of globalization but are unwilling to bear the costs of the international division of labor.
Zhou Mi, a senior research fellow at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, told the Global Times that international trade's mutually beneficial cooperation should serve as a stabilizer for countries in response to emergencies. However, the US abuse of tariffs has not only intensified trade disputes with multiple countries but also backfired on its own economic security.
The essence of global trade is supposed to be mutual benefit and win-win cooperation. Even an economic powerhouse like the US must rely on the global market to meet domestic needs and address its own crises. The close interconnectedness of global industrial and supply chains means that the economies of all countries are intertwined. However, the "America First" policy has consistently sought to sever these connections, ultimately backfiring on the US. When American consumers pay up to $8 per dozen eggs and find no eggs to buy, they are not only shouldering the cost of living but also the price of unilateralism.
Currently, the US stock market is volatile, inflation remains high, and consumer confidence is declining - these warning signs all point to the consequences of unilateralism. This egg crisis should awaken Washington: In the face of global challenges such as climate change, public health, and food security, no country can address these crises alone. It is better to acknowledge the reality that the global economy is deeply interconnected. After all, when the White House turns to Europe for emergency egg supplies, it should at least realize that supermarket shelves won't make room for political slogans.
