The partial truce declared by Donald Trump in his trade war with the European Union was set to expire on July 8. But on Friday, May 23, the US president threatened to change the rules. “I am recommending a straight 50% Tariff on the European Union, starting on June 1, 2025,” he said on his social network, Truth Social.
“The European Union, which was formed for the primary purpose of taking advantage of the United States on TRADE, has been very difficult to deal with (…) Our discussions with them are going nowhere,” he explained, accusing Europeans of “Trade Barriers, Vat Taxes, ridiculous Corporate Penalties, Non-Monetary Trade Barriers, Monetary Manipulations, unfair and unjustified lawsuits against Americans Companies.”
A few hours later, in the Oval Office, the US president insisted he was not “looking for a deal” with the EU. “It’s time that we play the game the way I know how to play the game,” added the billionaire. Since returning to the White House, Trump has denounced European trade surpluses – about €150 billion in industrial goods and €50 billion when accounting for the US surplus in services, according to the European Commission – and has repeatedly announced plans to raise tariffs.
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