Washington (TDI): United States President Donald Trump, on Saturday, threatened to impose 30% tariffs on imports from Mexico and the European Union starting from August 1, 2025, weeks after the negotiations failed to reach a comprehensive trade deal.
Trump announced the news tariffs on his two major trading partners in separate letters that were posted on the Truth Social platform.
It is reported that the tariffs are due to what Trump calls Mexico’s role in undocumented migration and illicit drugs flowing into the US, as well as trade imbalance with the EU.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum at an event in the Mexican state of Sonora said, “I’ve always said that in these cases, what you have to do is keep a cool head to face any problem”.
She added, “We’re also clear on what we can work with the United States government on, and we’re clear on what we can’t. And there’s something that’s never negotiable: the sovereignty of our country.”
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU was prepared to take the necessary steps to safeguard its interests, “including the adoption of proportionate countermeasures if required.”
Read More: Trump Imposes 35% Tariff on Canada
Von der Leyen said in a statement that the bloc remained ready “to continue working towards an agreement by August 1”.
The bloc is under continuous conflicting pressure as Germany demands a quick deal to protect its interests, whereas other EU members, such as France, have said that EU negotiators should not cave into a one-sided deal on US terms.
Trump’s letter to the EU included a demand that Europe drop its tariffs. “The European Union will allow complete, open Market Access to the United States, with no Tariff being charged to us, in an attempt to reduce the large Trade Deficit,” he wrote.
Von der Leyen said the 30% tariffs “would disrupt essential transatlantic supply chains, to the detriment of businesses, consumers and patients on both sides of the Atlantic.”
Trump issued new tariffs earlier this week for more than 20 countries that including Japan, South Korea, Canada, and Brazil.
Canada has also received a similar letter from the US President imposing 35% tariffs on its goods. Meanwhile, Trump has threatened Brazil to impose 50% tariffs on goods made in Brazil.
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