German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil. AFP
Trump made the threat on Friday, saying "discussions (with the EU) are going nowhere". The tariffs would be applied from June 1, just a week away, he added.
If imposed, they would dramatically raise Washington's current baseline levy of 10 percent, and fuel simmering tensions between two of the world's economic heavyweights.
"We don't need any further provocations, but serious negotiations," Klingbeil, who is also Germany's vice chancellor, told Bild newspaper.
He had spoken with his US counterpart Scott Bessent about the matter, he added.
Trump said on Friday he was "not looking for a deal", repeating his long-standing view that the EU, conceived after WWII to ensure peace in Europe, had "banded together to take advantage of us".
"The US tariffs endanger the US economy just as much as the German and European economy," said Klingbeil.
Stock markets fell in the wake of Trump's comments amid fears of renewed global economic disruption. The US dollar also took a beating.
The EU's trade chief Maros Sefcovic responded to Trump's comments by saying the bloc was "committed to securing a deal that works for both".
Trade relations "must be guided by mutual respect, not threats", he added.
Klingbeil reiterated Germany's support for the EU in handling the talks with the US.
"We as Europeans are united and determined to represent our interests," he said.
Also Sunday, Klingbeil told the ARD broadcaster: "We must come to a solution quickly else we will have massive turmoil on the markets, as we already saw after President Trump's initial threat."
This had also been the consensus at last week's G7 finance ministers' meeting which he attended in Canada, he added.
"What we need is... to work together to see how we can strengthen the economy."
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