Trump delays 50% European Union tariff until July

President Donald Trump planned to hold off on enforcing a 50% tax on goods from the European Union until July 9, according to a Sunday statement. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen asked the president to push back the tariff’s June 1 start date during a Sunday phone call. It was a privilege to extend the tariff’s start date, Trump wrote. It’s beautiful to see countries around the world wanting to trade with the United States, he said Monday morning. America will soon see tremendous growth and be stronger than ever before because of it, he added.

The president first called for a 50% tariff on EU trade in a Friday morning statement. The EU’s trade barriers, value-added taxes, corporate penalties, and unjustified lawsuits against American companies are only some of the factors that have caused a serious American trade deficit, he wrote. The U.S. goods trade deficit with the European Union was $235.6 billion in 2024, according to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. At the time, Trump echoed his previous claims that the EU was formed with the express purpose of taking advantage of the United States in trade.

What has the EU said about the extension? Von der Leyen confirmed the tariff delay in a Sunday statement. Europe is ready for swift and decisive negotiations to reach a good deal, she wrote. America and the EU share the closest and most impactful trade relationship in the world, she added. EU Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maroš Šefčovič shared similar sentiments after speaking with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on Friday. The EU is working in good faith to strike a deal that works for both parties, Šefčovič said. American and European trade is unmatched, but must be guided by mutual respect instead of threats, he added.

Dig deeper: Read my report on Trump also threatening Apple on Friday with a 25% tariff.