Nigel Farage has said the European Union (EU) has “met its match” in U.S. President Donald J. Trump, slamming the bloc’s “hypocrisy” for criticising his new trade tariffs whilst erecting thousands of their own.

The former UKIP and Brexit leader, who has been a Member of the European Parliament for 19 years, said the bloc under its current leadership was based on the principles of “power without accountability”.

British Prime Minister Theresa May – who has bowed to almost all of the bloc’s Brexit demands – should follow the President’s “lead” and take a tough stance in negotiations, Mr. Farage added.

“Well at long last, you’ve met your match in Donald Trump,” he told the European Parliament this Tuesday.

“Now, you may well scream and shout about his aluminium and steel tariffs but the EU puts tariffs on 13,000 goods coming into it, meaning that shoes and bras and food are more expensive for simple ordinary folk – who don’t understand this because it’s never been properly explained to them.

“And the sheer hypocrisy of criticising [President] Trump when you [EU leaders] already put tariffs on steel and aluminium amazes me,” he added.

Theresa May should take @realDonaldTrump‘s lead and stand up to the unelected European Commission bullies at next week’s EU summit. pic.twitter.com/1uRPsTCxCS — Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) March 13, 2018

The President signed an executive order last Thursday, bringing forth a 25 per cent levy on steel imports, but said he could exclude Canada and Mexico.

The EU quickly hit back, threatening wide-ranging retaliation and a “trade war”. Jean-Claude Juncker, the unelected President of the European Commission, said: “We can do stupid too.”

After praising Mr. Trump’s approach to the EU, Mr. Farage continued his speech by urging the UK to follow suit.

“Mrs. May we did not vote for a transition period, we voted to leave this organisation, we voted to leave the Customs Union, we voted to leave the Single Market.

“So please, Mrs. May, at this summit next week do what [President] Trump has done, stand strong against the European Commission, against the unelected bullies.”

He pointed out how after the Italian elections it was “pretty obvious the game is up anyway, so she’ll be doing not just the British people a favour but the whole of Europe too”.