President Donald Trump has posted two letters on his social media platform asserting new tariffs on the European Union and Mexico that can take impact on Aug. 1.
Trump will impose a 30% tariff on Mexico because of fentanyl crossing the border, he mentioned in a letter to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.
“Mexico has been serving to me safe the border, BUT what Mexico has carried out shouldn’t be sufficient. Mexico nonetheless has not stopped the Cartels who’re making an attempt to show all of North America in a Narco-Trafficking Playground,” Trump wrote within the letter.
Mexico didn’t face a brand new tariff on April 2, the day of Trump’s so-called “Liberation Day” tariff rollout. There stays a 25% tariff on non-USMCA-compliant items from Canada and Mexico, in addition to a 50% tariff on metal, aluminum and by-product merchandise.
The United States primarily imports automobiles, equipment and electrical tools, alongside agricultural merchandise comparable to fruits, greens, beer and spirits from Mexico.
President Donald Trump speaks to the media as he arrives on the White Home, June 9, 2025, in Washington, D.C.
Win McNamee/Getty Photographs
Trump mentioned the EU will even face a 30% tariff because of the USA commerce deficit, in a letter addressed to European Fee President Ursula von der Leyen.
The EU, one of many largest buying and selling blocs with the U.S., primarily exports pharmaceutical merchandise and mechanical home equipment to the U.S.
In keeping with the Workplace of the U.S. Commerce Consultant, the U.S. items commerce deficit with the European Union was $235.6 billion in 2024, a 12.9 % improve over 2023.
Trump has lengthy touted productive conversations that left him “extraordinarily happy” relating to a commerce take care of the EU; nevertheless, at one level, he as soon as threatened tariffs as excessive as 50%.
In his letters, Trump once more promised that there can be no tariffs on manufacturing corporations that resolve to construct within the U.S.
The European Fee president responded Saturday saying the 30% tariff “would damage companies, customers and sufferers on each aspect of the Atlantic.”
“We are going to proceed working in direction of an settlement by August 1,” von der Leyen mentioned. “On the identical time, we’re able to safeguard EU pursuits on the idea of proportionate countermeasures.”
In a press release posted on X, Mexican financial minister Marcelo Ebrard mentioned Mexico had already been negotiating with the U.S. to “shield companies and jobs.”
“We have been knowledgeable that, as a part of the profound adjustments in U.S. commerce coverage, all international locations will obtain a letter signed by the President of the USA establishing new tariffs beginning August 1st,” Ebrard mentioned. “We said on the assembly that this was an unfair deal and that we didn’t agree with it.”
