Trump Threatens EU with Unprecedented Tariffs: Up to 50% Starting June 1

Tensions are escalating between the United States and the European Union over trade. On Friday, May 23, Donald Trump announced plans to raise tariffs on European imports to 50% starting June 1, up from the current average of around 10%. The former president blames stalled negotiations and what he calls an “unacceptable” trade imbalance.

Stalled Talks and a Unilateral Response

“It is extremely difficult to deal with the EU, which was created in the first place to take advantage of the United States,” Trump wrote on his platform, Truth Social. Claiming talks are going nowhere, he defended the steep increase as a necessary response. Trump also denounced what he sees as unfair trade practices, including non-tariff barriers, VAT, punitive regulations on American firms, and monetary manipulation—all contributing, he said, to an annual trade deficit of over $250 billion.

Disputed Trade Figures

The figures cited by Trump are contested. While he places the deficit with the EU between $300 and $350 billion, the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office (USTR) reported a $235 billion gap in 2024. The European Commission, for its part, claims the goods-only deficit stands at about $160 billion—and drops to roughly $50 billion when factoring in America’s surplus in services.

Tariff Truce Nearing Its End

Since returning to the White House, Trump has already increased tariffs from 2.5% to 12.5%, including a 10-point jump under what he calls a “reciprocal tariff” framework. Although a 20% hike had been considered, a 90-day moratorium was announced in April to give negotiations a final chance. That truce is set to expire in early July.

In recent weeks, EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic has held multiple meetings with key U.S. counterparts—including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer—but so far, no breakthrough has been achieved.