That's been a major issue for Trump regarding the trade war. He thought he could get away with other countries not pacing retaliatory tarrifs, but that's what they are going to do.
If i were trying to improve the standing of my country and knew that the EU and US being economically linked is bad for me I would start a campaign to get the EU to stop buying american in order to weaken everyone. Divide et impera.
I would start a campaign to get the EU to stop buying american
Yup, nothing to do with the trade war started by applying tariffs left and right, or threatening to take over part of the European country, or interfering with the UK and German elections... It must be some unknown conspiracy instead /s
Don't forget cozying up to a nuclear-armed madman who's ruthlessly invading your neighbor and wants to take you next and then threatening to leave the defensive pact that keeps you all safe from said madman.
Steelmanning their point, they might not be saying that all this is orchestrated by some third party (e.g. Russia), but that they are benefiting from it.
To which I'd say: unfortunately, the same holds true for the alternative.