Donald Trump announced on Saturday that imports from both European Union Starting August 1, Mexico will face a 30% U.S. tariff rate in his social media platform Truth Social.
In a letter to the Mexican leader, Trump acknowledged that the country helped to stop undocumented immigrants and fentanyl from entering the United States.
But he said the country hasn’t done enough to stop North America from becoming a “Narco wandering playground.”
“We have discussed trade relations with the EU for many years and we have concluded that we must get rid of these long-term, large and persistent trade deficits, trade deficits arising from your tariffs and non-tax laws, policies and trade barriers,” Trump wrote in his letter to the EU. “Unfortunately, our relationship is far from the countdown.”
Higher-than-expected interest rates hit EU hopes for ore and hopes for a trade deal. European Trade Commissioner Maroššefčovič negotiated it, well above 10 per cent, could risk a trade war, including Belgian chocolate, Irish butter and Italian olive oil.
Like the UK deal, the EU deal is in principle an agreement, not a legally binding one. It covered headlines by sources only, confirming that the draft presented to the ambassador at a confidential meeting on Monday reached only three pages.
Brussels is almost certain to demand a reopening of negotiations, viewing the latest threat as Trump’s move to extract more concessions from the EU, which he once described as “more meaner than China” than China.
In any case, further negotiations are needed to create legal texts that can be formally registered by the U.S. government, and the process itself is risky.
The UK spent seven weeks getting its registered agreement and pledged to reduce tariffs on car exports from 27.5% to 10%, but agreed zero tariffs for the UK steel industry were omitted.
The deal ended a turbulent week in the EU, with Trump announcing an extension of talks until Monday, August 1, before announcing Tuesday that the EU would “may” “maybe” and a letter within 48 hours claiming the group had shifted from “very hard” to “very good.”
But diplomats think it’s a mixed message, as Trump stressed that he’s still talking to the group’s negotiators, but he’s upset about Europe’s policies towards U.S. tech companies.
Health & Wellness Contributor
A wellness enthusiast and certified nutrition advisor, Meera covers everything from healthy living tips to medical breakthroughs. Her articles aim to inform and inspire readers to live better every day.
