• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

2

The pig in the python: Baby Boomers are strangling the economy they built by refusing to move or retire

3

Uber CEO says rideshare 'freed up' his son from having to get a driver’s license—and he's one of many Gen Zers who aren’t willing to drive

1

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

2

The pig in the python: Baby Boomers are strangling the economy they built by refusing to move or retire

3

Uber CEO says rideshare 'freed up' his son from having to get a driver’s license—and he's one of many Gen Zers who aren’t willing to drive
NewslettersCEO Daily

Trump has CEOs worrying over exports

By
Peter Vanham
Peter Vanham
and
Joey Abrams
Joey Abrams
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Peter Vanham
Peter Vanham
and
Joey Abrams
Joey Abrams
Down Arrow Button Icon
November 8, 2024, 4:12 AM ET
A photograph of a tug boat assisting a container ship to its berth at the Port of Long Beach in Long Beach, California, US, on Monday, June 17, 2024.
A tug boat assists a container ship to its berth at the Port of Long Beach in Long Beach, California, US, on Monday, June 17, 2024.

Good morning, Peter Vanham here in Geneva.

Recommended Video

The U.S. stock market has been on a rally since the election of Donald Trump as America’s 47th President. But in Europe, the mood has been less celebratory among business leaders – and its markets.

Jacques Vandermeiren, the CEO of the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, Europe’s second largest port, told me he was most concerned by the prospect of Trump tariffs — something the president-elect has said he’d institute on imports from all countries.

“We fear there’s not a lot of good news,” he told me on the phone from Antwerp. “If Trump puts in place tariffs of up to 10 percent, we’ll deal, but if it goes to 25 percent or beyond we see export flows fall back dramatically or cease entirely,” he said.

“We saw it with steel in the first Trump presidency. If it happens again, it will be a big blow to that industry, which is already suffering.” The same could happen to other export-oriented industries, such as the European food, beverage, and agricultural industry.    

European business leaders “should be worried, and getting prepared,” Swiss-American economist Richard Baldwin told me as well, on the phone from Lausanne. (He wrote an excellent analysis on “Trump, trade and geopolitics” for IMD earlier this week.)  

“We could go to tariffs that we haven’t seen since the 1930s,” he said. And unlike in the first Trump presidency, Europe is unlikely to get a pass. “Trump Season Two will involve tariffs that are a lot higher, on a much broader range of goods, and from a lot more countries.”

Europe is also likely to face a double whammy from a renewed trade war. Beyond the direct effects of tariffs on its goods, it is likely to be a victim of what Baldwin calls “whack-a-mole trading” by China. EVs and other goods that Chinese companies can no longer export to the U.S. could flood the European market instead.  

The other aspect that “worries me about just as much”, Vandermeiren told me, is the risk of Trump-induced geopolitical crises. “If an action against Iran leads to the Strait of Hormuz or the Red Sea becoming unnavigable, it will have gigantic consequences. Southern European ports may literally disappear from the map,” he said.

“Perhaps Europe needed such a shock, so it can close its ranks, and increase the sense of urgency – which was already present – to make Europe competitive again,” Vandermeiren said.

“Is Trump bad for European business? If they are manufacturing in Europe, this is a bad thing, yes,” Baldwin said. “However, there are some European businesses that are moving to the US, in which case deregulation and lower taxes will help them.”

On that note: we’ll also discuss the “New Global Order” at our Fortune Global Forum, which takes place in New York on November 11-12. President Trump’s “Season One” (and possible “Season Two”) Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, will be among those weighing in. You can apply for last-minute attendance here. (It pays to hurry, as interest in the Forum surged since the election.)

More news below. 

Peter Vanham
peter.vanham.@fortune.com
Follow on LinkedIn

TOP NEWS

Insider CEO or outsider?
The recent appointment of an insider CEO at Estée Lauder and an outsider CEO at Ross Stores is highlighting the debate between which type of leader performs better. Analysts say that insiders can skip the adjustment period and implement changes quickly, though an outsider can bring a much-needed fresh perspective. Fortune

Powell won’t resign if asked
Fed Chair Jerome Powell announced on Thursday that he would not step down from the position if president-elect Trump asked him to resign. Trump previously said he would not nominate him to the position again when his term ends in 2026, but also would not fire him immediately. Fortune 

Goldman Sachs sees M&A bump under Trump
Goldman Sachs analysts predicted a 20% increase in M&A activity next year under the incoming Trump administration. The Biden Administration, alongside FTC chair Lina Khan, have been stricter about mergers they say could negatively affect consumers. Fortune

AROUND THE WATERCOOLER

In the wake of an election that divided the workplace, CEOs must inspire unity by Alan Fleischmann

Sam Altman may have dropped millions of dollars—and OpenAI shares—to buy a single URL by Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez

The next time you go under the knife, there’s a good chance a robot will hold the scalpel by Sage Lazzaro

Ray Dalio says ‘all Americans’ should be happy with the election outcome because a peaceful power transfer is a massive ‘risk reduction’ by Sasha Rogelberg

Trump’s victory reveals secret Republicans: Joe Rogan-obsessed Gen Z men by Chloe Berger

I went to Harris’s concession speech—here’s what I heard from Black women by Sheryl Estrada

This edition of CEO Daily was curated by Joey Abrams.

This is the web version of CEO Daily, a newsletter of must-read global insights from CEOs and industry leaders. Sign up to get it delivered free to your inbox.
About the Authors
By Peter VanhamEditorial Director, Leadership
LinkedIn icon

Peter Vanham is editorial director, leadership, at Fortune.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
By Joey AbramsAssociate Production Editor

Joey Abrams is the associate production editor at Fortune.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Newsletters

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Newsletters

She grew Salesforce’s team by 600% in South Asia. Meet one of India’s most powerful women
NewslettersMPW Daily
She grew Salesforce’s team by 600% in South Asia. Meet one of India’s most powerful women
By Angelica AngMay 22, 2026
3 days ago
dario
NewslettersTerm Sheet
‘A pressure cooker ready to explode’: The wild secondaries scramble for Anthropic shares
By Allie GarfinkleMay 22, 2026
3 days ago
IBM CEO Arvind Krishna (right) and U.S. President Donald Trump in the White House on December 10, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images)
NewslettersFortune Tech
U.S. will award $2 billion in grants to nine quantum computing companies—and take equity stakes
By Andrew NuscaMay 22, 2026
3 days ago
Bolt’s cofounder scrapped its HR department. This CEO says people management is key to thriving in the AI age
NewslettersCEO Daily
Bolt’s cofounder scrapped its HR department. This CEO says people management is key to thriving in the AI age
By Diane BradyMay 22, 2026
3 days ago
Boris Cherny is the creator and head of Claude Code at Anthropic
NewslettersEye on AI
Anthropic lands in London as AI-powered coding—and the anxieties around it—go mainstream
By Beatrice NolanMay 21, 2026
4 days ago
Victoria’s Secret’s CEO is so confident in her strategy to bring back sexy that the company just changed its stock ticker to ‘VSXY’
NewslettersMPW Daily
Victoria’s Secret’s CEO is so confident in her strategy to bring back sexy that the company just changed its stock ticker to ‘VSXY’
By Emma HinchliffeMay 21, 2026
4 days ago

Most Popular

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
Success
Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
By Preston ForeMay 21, 2026
4 days ago
The pig in the python: Baby Boomers are strangling the economy they built by refusing to move or retire
Economy
The pig in the python: Baby Boomers are strangling the economy they built by refusing to move or retire
By Nick LichtenbergMay 25, 2026
10 hours ago
Uber CEO says rideshare 'freed up' his son from having to get a driver’s license—and he's one of many Gen Zers who aren’t willing to drive
Lifestyle
Uber CEO says rideshare 'freed up' his son from having to get a driver’s license—and he's one of many Gen Zers who aren’t willing to drive
By Sasha RogelbergMay 24, 2026
1 day ago
Inside the 'stealth wealth' playbook: How Silicon Valley's elite buy multimillion-dollar mansions without leaving a paper trail
Real Estate
Inside the 'stealth wealth' playbook: How Silicon Valley's elite buy multimillion-dollar mansions without leaving a paper trail
By Sydney LakeMay 24, 2026
1 day ago
This 39-year-old quit his lineman job during the pandemic and built a $50 million company in his backyard
Success
This 39-year-old quit his lineman job during the pandemic and built a $50 million company in his backyard
By Nick LichtenbergMay 23, 2026
2 days ago
Microsoft reports are exposing AI's real cost problem: Using the tech is more expensive than paying human employees
AI
Microsoft reports are exposing AI's real cost problem: Using the tech is more expensive than paying human employees
By Jake AngeloMay 22, 2026
3 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.