Trump has rolled out a “baseline” levy of 10% on goods from around the world, but he has suspended a higher tariff of 20% on EU products while the two sides negotiate.

If negotiations “do not result in a positive outcome, I imagine that there will be – and that’s what we wish – reciprocal tariffs on airplanes to force a higher level of negotiation”, Airbus chief executive Guillaume Faury told AFP.

Faury, who was speaking at a press event by French aerospace industry association Gifas, said any response should be similar to the strategy used in a previous spat during the first Trump administration.

Trump imposed a 10% tariff on the European aviation sector in 2019 after the World Trade Organization (WTO) ruled that the EU had illegally subsidised Airbus, and raised it to 15% in 2020.

The WTO later ruled that the US also provided illegal aid to Boeing.

The EU then imposed a 15% tariff on Boeing planes.

The tariffs were subsequently lifted under president Joe Biden in 2021.