On Sunday, President Donald Trump announced an extension of the deadline for a proposed 50% tariff on the European Union, moving it from June 1 to July 9, 2025. This decision followed a call from Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, who described their conversation as “good” and emphasized the need for additional time to negotiate a favorable deal. Trump shared this news via a post on Truth Social, stating he was pleased to grant the extension.
Von der Leyen highlighted the importance of the US-EU trade relationship, which she termed as the “world’s most consequential and close trade relationship,” signaling Europe’s readiness to engage in swift negotiations. Previously, Trump had implemented a series of tariffs on the EU, starting with 20%, later reducing the rate to 10% for a temporary 90-day period. Recently, he proposed a straight 50% tariff, citing challenges in negotiations with the 27-nation bloc and expressing frustrations with the lack of progress.
His remarks reflected a combative approach, with Trump indicating his intent to leverage tariffs as a negotiation tool, remarking, “Our discussions with them are going nowhere!” He made it clear that he did not anticipate reaching a deal before the original June 1 deadline. During a White House event, he reiterated his strategy for dealing with trade negotiations, asserting, “it’s time that we play the game the way I know how to play the game.” This extension appears to be Trump’s bid to create more space for discussions while maintaining a firm stance on trade with the EU.
Photo credit
www.nbcnews.com
