The return of U.S. President Donald Trump to the White House is a wake-up call for European Union countries to fix their economies and become more competitive, the EU's senior financial officials said on Monday as Trump was sworn in for a second term.

Ursula von der Leyen, is trying to arrange a meeting with US President-elect Donald Trump, but so far to no avail. This was announced at a press conference in Brussels by EC spokeswoman Paula Pinho.

EU leaders have wished Donald Trump well in his second term as President of the United States. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa posted their best wishes on X on Monday afternoon.

Both sides may want it politically, but the U.S. president can’t instantly boost exports and firms don’t necessarily want to “drill, baby, drill.”

The list of big-time events that will take place on Trump’s watch is formidable: There is the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence — the U.S. Semiquincentennial celebration of the nation’s birthday next year. The 2026 World Cup. The 2028 Olympics. (And, on a more somber note, the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.)

The tension isn’t new, and the Biden administration has pushed back against the EU's far-reaching laws. But the dawn of Republican dominance in Washington is adding fuel to the backlash as Trump vows to dismantle climate progress and reshape relations with allies and rivals alike.

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen invoked the "enduring strength" of transatlantic ties Monday as she congratulated Donald Trump on his inauguration for a second term as US president.

The technology world has embraced Donald Trump, with many CEOs seeing opportunities in his 'America First', anti-regulation policies, reports Work and Technology Correspondent Brian O'Donovan.

The European Commission stated that it expected to continue working with the US administration on topics of strategic importance to both sides, as well as emphasised the necessity of respecting sovereignty of states.

Two experts have told Euronews that the EU must ready itself to stand firm in the face of belligerence from an incoming Donald Trump regime. #TheEuropeConversation

Denmark’s Margrethe Vestager happens to be both available and uniquely qualified for the post. It’s time for another season of Borgen. With Donald Trump now officially in the White House and clearly plotting to turn the screws on Europe on trade and/or security, the degree to which the EU is unprepared is as shocking as it worrying.

The European Commission said they have the tools to deal with "unfair economic coercion against a single member state".