Trump says he's imposing new 30% tariffs on EU, Mexico
Pres. Trump announces 30% tariffs on EU & Mexico
President Trump unveiled new 30% tariffs in letters to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Mexico?s President Claudia Sheinbaum. Trump said that if the EU or Mexico retaliates with higher tariffs, ?then, whatever the number you choose to raise them by, will be added on to the 30% that we charge.? However, Trump says that there will not be tariffs on goods from the EU if the 27-member bloc, or companies within the EU, decide to build or manufacture products within the United States.
President Donald Trump said he’s imposing new 30% tariffs against the European Union and Mexico, effectively blowing up the rules governing world trade.
With Saturday's letters, Trump has interrupted months of negotiations with two of America’s biggest trading partners. Trump has now issued tariff conditions on 24 countries and the 27-member European Union.
He threatened new 35% tariffs against Canada a day earlier.
If he moves forward with the tariffs, it could have ramifications for nearly every aspect of the global economy.
U.S. President Donald Trump answers questions during a multilateral lunch with African leaders in the State Dining Room of the White House July 9, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
New tariffs on EU, Mexico
What we know:
Trump announced new tariffs in letters he shared on his Truth Social account. The Mexico tariff, if it goes into effect, could replace the 25% tariffs on Mexican goods that do not comply with the existing U.S.-Mexico-Canada free trade agreement.
RELATED: Trump threatens 35% tariff on Canadian goods over dangerous cross-border fentanyl dispute
What we don't know:
It’s unclear whether the EU or Mexico plan to retaliate with their own set of import taxes, but Trump threatened to raise the 30% tariffs even higher should either country do so. Trump’s letter did not address if USMCA-compliant goods would still be exempt from the Mexico tariffs after Aug. 1, as the White House said would be the case with Canada.
What they're saying:
Trump said although Mexico has been helpful in stemming the flow of undocumented migrants and fentanyl into the United States, the country has not done enough to stop North America from turning into a "Narco-Trafficking Playground."
"Mexico has been helping me secure the border, BUT, what Mexico has done, is not enough," Trump added.
Pres. Trump to send tariff letters to countries
President Trump spoke to members of the media at Joint Base Andrews after returning from Iowa and shared that he will begin sending letters to countries on Friday specifying what tariff rates they will face on imports to the United States.
In his letter to the EU, he described the U.S. trade deficit as a national security threat.
"We have had years to discuss our Trading Relationship with The European Union, and we have concluded we must move away from these long-term, large, and persistent, Trade Deficits, engendered by your Tariff, and Non-Tariff, Policies, and Trade Barriers," Trump wrote in the letter to the EU. "Our relationship has been, unfortunately, far from Reciprocal."
"If for any reason you decide to raise your tariffs and retaliate, then, whatever the number you choose to raise them by, will be added onto the 30 percent that we charge," Trump wrote.
Timeline:
If Trump goes through with the tariffs, they would take effect on Aug. 1.
The backstory:
The letters come in the midst of an on-and-off Trump threat to impose tariffs on countries and right an imbalance in trade. Trump in April imposed tariffs on dozens of countries, before pausing them for 90 days to negotiate individual deals. As the three-month grace period ended this week, Trump began sending his tariff letters to leaders but again has pushed back the implementation day for what he says will be just a few more weeks.
Mexico, EU respond
The other side:
European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen responded by noting the bloc's "commitment to dialogue, stability, and a constructive transatlantic partnership."
"At the same time, we will take all necessary steps to safeguard EU interests, including the adoption of proportionate countermeasures if required," von der Leyen said in a statement.
U.S. to impose 35% tariff on Canadian goods, Trump says
Dr. Donal Gill joins LiveNOW's Austin Westfall to discuss President Donald Trump's latest tariff threat against Canada.
"With European unity, it is more than ever up to the Commission to assert the Union’s determination to resolutely defend European interests," French President Emmanuel Macron said in a statement posted on X.
Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni’s office said "it would make no sense to trigger a trade war between the two sides of the Atlantic."
The Mexican government said it was informed during high-level talks with U.S. State Department officials Friday that the Trump letter was coming. The delegation told Trump officials at the meeting it disagreed with the decision and considered it "unfair treatment," according to a Mexican government statement.
Why is Trump imposing new tariffs?
Dig deeper:
Trump is in the midst of an announcement blitz of new tariffs with allies and foes alike, a bedrock of his 2024 campaign that he said would set the foundation for reviving a U.S. economy that he claims has been ripped off by other nations for decades.
With the reciprocal tariffs, Trump is effectively blowing up the rules governing world trade. For decades, the United States and most other countries abided by tariff rates set through a series of complex negotiations known as the Uruguay round. Countries could set their own tariffs – but under the "most favored nation’’ approach, they couldn’t charge one country more than they charged another.
The Source: This report includes information from The Associated Press, President Trump's Truth Social account and previous LiveNow from FOX reporting.