WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that the U.S. will postpone the implementation of a 50% tariff on European Union goods. Originally set to begin on June 1, the tariffs are now delayed until July 9. This move aims to provide additional time for negotiations with the EU.
This decision followed a phone conversation on Sunday with Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president. Von der Leyen had expressed to Trump her eagerness to engage in “serious negotiations,” as recounted by President Trump.
“I made it clear to anyone listening that they need to do that,” Trump stated to reporters in Morristown, New Jersey, as he was getting ready to head back to Washington. According to Trump, von der Leyen committed to “quickly assemble and see if we can come to an agreement.”
President Donald Trump speaks to reporters before boarding Air Force One at Morristown Municipal Airport in Morristown, N.J., Sunday, May 25, 2025.
(AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
In a social media post Friday, Trump had threatened to impose the 50% tariff on EU goods, complaining that the 27-member bloc had been “very difficult to deal with” on trade and that negotiations were “going nowhere.” Those tariffs would have kicked in starting June 1.
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But the call with von der Leyen appeared to smooth over tensions, at least for now.
“I agreed to the extension – July 9, 2025 – It was my privilege to do so,” Trump said on Truth Social shortly after he spoke with reporters on Sunday evening.
For her part, von der Leyen said the EU and the U.S. “share the world’s most consequential and close trade relationship.”
“Europe is ready to advance talks swiftly and decisively,” she said. “To reach a good deal, we would need the time until July 9.
The video in the player above is from a previous report.
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