President Donald Trump lamented the pace of trade talks with the European Union in a post to Truth Social on Friday, suggesting that higher tariffs could be imposed as soon as next week.
“Our discussions with them are going nowhere!” Trump wrote, arguing that EU officials have been “very difficult to deal with” in negotiations.
“Therefore, I am recommending a straight 50% Tariff on the European Union, starting on June 1, 2025.”
Imports from the EU are currently subject to Trump’s 10% baseline tariff. After the 90-day pause on higher country-specific tariffs ends in July, the bloc’s rate is set to increase to 20%. The White House did not immediately respond to Agri-Pulse’s request for clarification on whether a new 50% tariff would be in addition to, or replace, its existing 10% rate.
Trump doubled down on the threat in comments to reporters in the Oval Office on Friday afternoon.
"Right now, it's going on on June 1," Trump said of the 50% tariffs. But he suggested he could institute a delay if he sees an uptick in interest from European companies investing in U.S. facilities.
If Trump presses ahead with the threat, U.S. agriculture is set to be caught in the early crossfire of an escalating trade conflict. Earlier this month, the EU outlined a spate of U.S. agricultural products that will be hit with retaliatory duties if negotiations break down – including U.S. fruits, nuts and vegetables, cereal grains, oils, shellfish, bourbon and food products.
EU officials were quick to point out on Friday that the bloc is ready to respond to any tariff escalation.
Bernd Lange, who chairs the European Parliament’s Committee on International Trade, said that if Trump “is looking for abdication then he is knocking on the wrong door.”
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But in a post to X, Lange said that the EU’s door remains open to “cooperation and negotiation” with the U.S. Lange and other members of the trade committee will be in Washington next week for meetings with U.S. officials.
French trade minister Laurent Saint-Martin criticized the U.S. president for undermining ongoing negotiations.
"Trump's new threats of tariff increases are not helping," he said in a post to X. "We maintain the same line: de-escalation but are ready to respond."
The European Commission did not respond immediately to Agri-Pulse's request for comment on Trump's post.
Other analysts questioned why the U.S. president has chosen to adopt such a confrontational stance with the European Union while negotiations remain ongoing.
“I get it that the U.S. is not enamored with latest EU proposal. Would not be the first time. But instead of blasting it publicly why not submit a counter-proposal aiming to narrow the gaps?” Wendy Cutler, vice president of the Asia Society Policy Institute and a former acting deputy U.S. Trade Representative, posted to LinkedIn. “
Cutler also pointed out that with the latest rollback of U.S. tariffs on China to a minimum of 30% – made up of the 10% baseline and a 20% fentanyl tariff – if Trump hikes duties on the EU to 50%, a U.S. ally would have a significantly higher rate than a strategic rival.
“We are getting into strange and dangerous territory,” Cutler added.
The tariffs on the European Union weren’t Trump’s only Friday morning threat. In a separate post, the president also warned Apple that it could face 25% tariffs if its iPhones are not manufactured in the United States.
“I expect their iPhone’s [sic] that will be sold in the United States of America will be manufactured and built in the United States,” Trump wrote.
Tariffs are not typically applied to a single company’s products, but are set across a specific product category, regardless of manufacturer. Trump later clarified to reporters that the tariff would apply to "any company that makes that product."
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