It's ultimately a tax on consumption, so very similar to VATs which are applauded in Western Europe.

The difference, in this case, is the tariff is not being used to generate revenue. The tariff is being used to try to extort performance by the European countries, specifically, surrendering Greenland. God on Earth Trump runs on money. So, he thinks money is the way to make everyone else run: pay money to them, or extort money from them, to get what he wants. In this case, he is trying to cost them trade with the US, to force the surrender of the island. In general, Europe runs a trade surplus with the US, in goods, so a trade war with Europe would hurt them more than the US. However, some specific US companies, like Boeing and Lockheed, would be hurt a lot more than others, being cut off from a major market, and vendors of many components.

Steve