Donald Trump Imposes 30% Tariff On EU And Mexico Imports

President Donald Trump declared on Saturday that goods imported from the European Union and Mexico will face a 30 per cent tariff beginning August 1. The announcement was made through letters addressed to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, which Trump shared Saturday via his social media platform, Truth Social, according to a Reuters report.

Trump cautioned that any attempt by the EU or Mexico to counter the tariffs with their own will result in even higher rates on their exports to the United States.

“Then, whatever the number you choose to raise them by, will be added on to the 30 per cent that we charge,” he warned in both letters.

Earlier this week, Trump also unveiled new tariffs targeting several other countries — including Japan, South Korea, Canada, and Brazil — along with a 50 per cent tariff on copper imports.

EU's Trade Hopes Derailed

The European Union had been hoping to reach at least a provisional trade agreement with Washington to avoid being targeted. Despite tentative progress in negotiations and Trump recently stepping back from a proposed 50 per cent tariff on EU exports, the bloc now finds itself included in the list of countries affected by the latest wave of trade restrictions.

According to the Office of the US Trade Representative, goods imported from the EU into the US totaled more than $553 billion in 2022, making the bloc America’s top trading partner by value.

Global Trade Measures Expand

The letters to the EU and Mexico are part of a broader policy move, as 23 other countries—including Canada, Japan, South Korea, and Brazil—have also received similar notifications in recent days. Tariff levels in those cases range from 20 per cent to 50 per cent, depending on the country.

This move follows Trump’s controversial “liberation day” tariff plan unveiled on April 2, which introduced a sweeping 10 per cent tariff on nearly all global imports, along with elevated duties on goods from about 60 individual nations. After an initial market panic, the administration delayed implementation for 90 days, a pause now extended to August 1.

business