CNN
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President Donald Trump on Saturday threatened duties of 30% on merchandise from Mexico and the European Union, two of America’s largest buying and selling companions, in an ongoing tariff marketing campaign that’s upended world commerce since he retook workplace in January.
“The USA of America has agreed to proceed working with the European Union, regardless of having considered one of our largest Commerce Deficits with you. However, we’ve got determined to maneuver ahead, however solely with extra balanced and honest TRADE,” Trump wrote within the letter to Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Fee, which he posted to Fact Social.
Trump has imposed a slate of tariffs on US buying and selling companions this 12 months – then paused, modified, raised or lowered them, in a chaotic barrage of coverage actions that’s left everybody from main nations to particular person Individuals attempting to determine the best way to plan for the long run whilst financial uncertainty grows.
The EU and Mexico be a part of a rising checklist of nations whose imports will face up to date duties on August 1, since Trump started posting tariff letters on Monday with charges of as much as 40%.
In his letters to the EU and Mexico, Trump mentioned that each one imports have been topic to the 30% tariff, excluding “Sectoral Tariffs,” such because the 25% auto tariff.
Von der Leyen mentioned Saturday in a press release that the EU stays “able to proceed working in the direction of an settlement” by the August 1 deadline.
However, she mentioned, a 30% tariff on EU exports would damage provide chains, companies and shoppers on either side of the Atlantic. The EU “will take all obligatory steps to safeguard EU pursuits, together with the adoption of proportionate countermeasures if required,” von der Leyen wrote.
French President Emmanuel Macron agreed on X that the European Fee should “resolutely defend European pursuits.”
“Specifically, this suggests rushing up the preparation of credible countermeasures, by mobilising all of the devices at its disposal, together with anti-coercion, if no settlement is reached by August 1st,” he wrote in his submit.
The EU’s countermeasures, which cowl $24.54 billion of US exports, shall be delayed till early August, von der Leyen introduced Sunday. European officers have additionally developed a second checklist of countermeasures that’s “by now agreed to,” she mentioned.
Macron and von der Leyen’s sentiments have been echoed by different European Union officers within the strongest public pushback to the Trump administration’s political strain and trade whiplash that ensued in Could.
Merchandise from Mexico, in the meantime, have largely been capable of enter the nation duty-free, granted they have been compliant with the United States-Mexico-Canada Settlement (USMCA) Trump negotiated in his first time period. In his letter addressed to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, Trump mentioned that tariff limitations have been imposed to cease the circulate of fentanyl into the USA, which he has beforehand used to justify earlier tariffs on Mexico as properly.
“Mexico has been serving to me safe the border, BUT, what Mexico has completed, shouldn’t be sufficient,” Trump wrote.
Mexico’s financial system minister Marcelo Ebrard posted on X {that a} Mexican delegation advised United States officers throughout a Friday assembly that plans to ascertain a brand new tariff price can be “unfair therapy and that we didn’t agree.” However the USA and Mexico are negotiating to search out an “different to guard companies and jobs on either side of the border.”
“The letter clearly states that the intention is to achieve an settlement in order that these tariffs aren’t imposed,” Sheinbaum mentioned Saturday in a speech within the metropolis of Guaymas, including that she is assured about reaching an settlement and higher commerce phrases with the USA.
Within the tariff letters, which have been dated on Friday, Trump mentioned that any retaliation of tariffs charged on US imports can be met with pushback from the USA. Trump mentioned that “regardless of the quantity you select to lift (tariffs) by, shall be added onto the 30% that we cost.”
He blamed each tariff and non-tariff commerce limitations as extra causes for imposing tariffs on the EU and Mexico.

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