Trump threatened in a social media post that a 50% tariff could be imposed on goods from the European Union. He expressed frustration, claiming the EU has been challenging to work with.
The President of the United States, Donald Trump, announced a postponement of the 50% tariff on EU goods initially set for June 1. The new implementation date is now July 9, giving room for negotiations with the EU.
This decision followed a conversation between Trump and Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission. Von der Leyen conveyed her commitment to engaging in sincere negotiations, leading to the mutual agreement.
“I told anybody that would listen, they have to do that,” Trump told reporters on Sunday in Morristown, New Jersey, as he prepared to return to Washington. Von der Leyen, Trump said, vowed to “rapidly get together and see if we can work something out.”
In a social media post Friday, Trump had threatened to impose the 50% tariff on EU goods, complaining that the 27-member bloc had been “very difficult to deal with” on trade and that negotiations were “going nowhere.” Those tariffs would have kicked in starting June 1.
But the call with von der Leyen appeared to smooth over tensions, at least for now.
“I agreed to the extension — July 9, 2025 — It was my privilege to do so,” Trump said on Truth Social shortly after he spoke with reporters on Sunday evening.
For her part, von der Leyen said the EU and the U.S. “share the world’s most consequential and close trade relationship.”
“Europe is ready to advance talks swiftly and decisively,” she said. “To reach a good deal, we would need the time until July 9.”
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