Why is Europe resisting a free trade deal with the US

NY Times:

As Tensions With U.S. Worsen, Europe Courts New Partners


The European Union is hunting for free-trade deals in Asia and Latin America to help compensate for lost business with the United States. On Tuesday, it signed its largest trade deal ever, a pact with Japan.
This story makes no sense.  The Trump administration has an offer to eliminate all tariffs in return for reciprocal treatment by the EU.  They refuse to enter into a free trade deal with the US and but do so with other countries who are not spending any money to defend Europe.   I have always thought the EU was an irrational player when it came to trading and if this story is true, it is more evidence of that irrationality.

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