Tough times are ahead for Mexico and the European Union. US President Donald Trump has tightened his tariff regime and introduced 30% tariffs on these trade partners. The hefty tariffs will come into effect on August 1, 2025.
The White House leader made these announcements on his social media platform, Truth Social. He published letters sent to President of Mexico Dr. Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Regarding Mexico, Trump stated that the country’s efforts to combat drug cartels are insufficient. “Mexico still hasn’t stopped the cartels trying to turn all of North America into a drug trafficking hub. I can’t allow this!” the American leader emphasized. He also stated that if Mexico raises its tariffs on the US, he will be forced to add another 30% to the newly-imposed tariff.
Trump was equally adamant about the European Union. The President said the US “must move away from these long-standing trade deficits caused by European tariffs and non-tariff measures and trade barriers.” He insisted that America’s trade relationship with the EU is “far from reciprocal.” Earlier, Trump had stated that goods redirected to avoid higher tariffs would be subject to even higher rates. From his viewpoint, a 30% rate is far less than what is needed to fix the trade deficit imbalance that America has with the EU. He also noted that if the EU hikes its tariffs on US imports, Washington will slap another 30% to the tariffs imposed on the bloc.
Previously, the American leader unveiled new tariffs for most countries, including Japan, South Korea, Canada, and Brazil, as well as a 50% duty on copper.
