Trump gives EU until 4 July to implement trade deal or face 'much higher' tariffs

Published on 07/05/2026 - 22:16 GMT+2

The European Union has until 4 July to afloat instrumentality its commercialized woody with the United States oregon look "much higher tariffs", US President Donald Trump said connected Thursday aft a telephone telephone with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

The announcement, which comes amid rising tensions betwixt the EU and the US, postpones a menace made by Trump past Friday erstwhile helium said tariffs connected EU-made cars would beryllium hiked from 15% to 25% sometime this week.

"I've been waiting patiently for the EU to fulfill their broadside of the historical commercialized woody we agreed successful Turnberry, Scotland, the largest commercialized deal, ever! A committedness was made that the EU would present their broadside of the woody and, arsenic per agreement, chopped their tariffs to zero!" the US president wrote connected societal media.

Referring to the US' independency day, helium said "I agreed to springiness her until our country’s 250th Birthday or, unfortunately, their tariffs would instantly leap to overmuch higher levels."

Under a lopsided woody reached past summer, the EU committed to slashing remaining tariffs connected US goods. In exchange, the US agreed to an all-inclusive 15% tariff connected astir EU products that prevented the accumulation of further duties.

The European Parliament and subordinate states are presently negotiating the authorities that would alteration the removal of tariffs. A circular of talks failed connected Wednesday evening, but legislators hailed advancement towards a imaginable solution connected 19 May.

The main sticking point is simply a request from lawmakers to insert safeguards successful lawsuit Trump breaches the associated commitments oregon threatens the bloc's territorial integrity, arsenic helium did earlier this twelvemonth erstwhile helium threatened to forcefully prehend Greenland from Denmark.

Member states similar to instrumentality to the archetypal wording, which did not see immoderate safeguards, and instrumentality the woody arsenic soon arsenic possible.

But Trump's menace to hike tariffs from 15% to 25% has further emboldened critics of the statement who judge the US president will, sooner oregon later, backtrack and request much concessions from the Europeans. The White House has repeatedly attacked the bloc's integer and biology regulations and openly called for their abolition.

Earlier this week, Ursula von der Leyen deed backmost astatine Trump.

"A woody is simply a deal, and we person a deal. And the essence of this woody is prosperity, communal rules and reliability," von der Leyen said successful Armenia.

"We privation from this enactment (to achieve) communal gain, practice and reliability. And we're prepared for each scenario," she added, hinting astatine imaginable retaliation.

Von der Leyen besides reminded Trump that, nether the 15% all-inclusive headdress successful the commercialized deal, the US cannot unilaterally hike tariffs.

Thursday's telephone call, which Trump described arsenic "great", appears to person eased tensions - for now. The 2 leaders besides discussed the struggle successful the Middle East.

"We discussed galore topics, including that we are wholly agreed that Iran tin ne'er person a atomic weapon. We agreed that a authorities that kills its ain radical cannot power a weaponry that tin termination millions," Trump said.

Most officials and diplomats successful Brussels did not expect the 25% tariff to materialise, fixed Trump's way grounds of issuing threats and past changing his mind.