By The White House - Wikipedia
President Donald Trump has declared that the United States will impose a 30% tariff on imports from both the European Union and Mexico starting on August 1. He warned that even steeper import duties could follow if either trading partner retaliates.
The 27-nation European Union, which remains the United States’ largest trading partner, had earlier this week expressed hope of reaching a trade agreement with Washington before the implementation deadline. However, Trump appears determined to push ahead regardless of the ongoing discussions.
In addition to targeting the EU and Mexico, Trump also announced this week that new tariffs will be applied to imports from Japan, South Korea, Canada, and Brazil—also effective from August 1. Similar notices have reportedly been dispatched to several smaller trade partners of the U.S.
In a letter sent Friday to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Trump stated, “We have had years to discuss our trading relationship with the European Union, and have concluded that we must move away from these long-term-large, and persistent, trade deficits, engendered by your tariff, and non-tariff, policies and trade barriers.” He added that the relationship has been “far from reciprocal,” continuing a long-standing criticism of EU trade practices.
Trump had earlier floated the idea of imposing a 20% tariff on goods from the EU back on April 2, with a warning that the figure could rise to 50% if trade negotiations did not make headway. While both Washington and Brussels had aimed to reach a deal by the July 9 deadline, no updates on progress have been provided.
In 2024, the United States recorded a $235.6 billion trade deficit with the EU, according to figures from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.
Responding to the announcement, von der Leyen reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to dialogue. “The EU remains ready to continue working towards an agreement by August 1,” she said, adding, “Few economies in the world match the European Union’s level of openness and adherence to fair trading practices.” She further stated that the EU would take “all necessary steps to safeguard EU interests, including the adoption of proportionate countermeasures if required.”
In a separate letter addressed to the Mexican government, Trump criticized the country’s efforts in combating drug trafficking. “Mexico has been helping me secure the border, BUT, what Mexico has done, is not enough,” he wrote, alleging that Mexico had failed to prevent North America from becoming what he termed a “Narco-Trafficking Playground.”
Mexico’s government responded to the threat on Saturday, calling Trump’s move an “unfair deal.”
