Trump threatens steep tariffs on trade with the European Union — and on iPhones
President Trump departs the White House on May 22, 2025. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images President Trump on Friday threatened on social media that he may impose a steep 50% tariff on imports from the European Union starting June 1 because of a lack of progress in talks about trade issues. Politics How Trump made a 30% tariff feel like a relief Trump warned in a separate post that he had “long ago” told Apple CEO Tim Cook that iPhones have to be manufactured in the United States — “not India, or anyplace else” — or he would impose a tariff of at least 25% on them. He did not give a specific date for when he would impose that tariff. Trump had eased off on tariff threats since early April, when he announced tariffs on nearly every country, only to pull many of them back a week later for what he described as a 90-day pause after stock markets had plunged and economists warned of recession. Sponsor Message Trump has long complained about EU trade barriers, VAT taxes, monetary policy, and lawsuits against American companies — and says he thinks it is unfair the EU sells more to the United States than it imports. His initial rate for the EU on April 2 had been 20%. The EU had threatened countermeasures at the time. Trump’s officials have launched into talks with a series of countries seeking to negotiate lower rates. But Trump said negotiations with the European Union weren’t going well. “Our discussions with them are going nowhere! Therefore, I am recommending a straight 50% Tariff on the European Union, starting on June 1, 2025,” Trump said on social media. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox News on Friday that the countries he has been negotiating with in Asia have presented “interesting proposals” and he expected some deals by the end of the 90-day pause, in July. But Bessent expressed frustration with EU leadership and said he hoped Trump’s post would spur talks. “I would hope that this would light a fire under the EU,” Bessent said.
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