U.S. President Donald Trump Proposes 50% Tariff on European Union Goods

U.S. President Donald Trump has ramped up trade tensions with the European Union by announcing a proposed 50% tariff on all EU imports, which is set to take effect on June 1, 2025.

Donald Trump accused the EU of being "very difficult to deal with" and claiming that the EU was created to "take advantage of the United States."

He also revealed that American-made products would be exempt from the new tariffs.

The announcement follows a series of previous tariff actions during Trump’s second term, including a 20% tariff on EU imports scheduled for April 9, 2025, and a 25% tariff on automobile imports imposed on March 27, 2025, which notably hit Germany, a major exporter of automobiles to the U.S.

On May 23, 2025 EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic was scheduled to meet with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer to address this matter.

While the EU had previously suggested increasing imports of U.S. liquefied natural gas, military equipment, and non-sensitive agricultural goods to alleviate trade tensions, these proposals have yet to yield meaningful results.

The European Commission declined to comment on Trump’s latest tariff threat but reiterated its commitment to defending European businesses, workers, and consumers.

As the deadline for the tariffs approaches, both sides face mounting pressure to resolve the dispute before it significantly disrupts global markets.