President Donald Trump said on Sunday night that more tariffs, this time on the 27-member European Union, will “definitely” happen and added that they will be coming “pretty soon.”
Speaking to reporters, Trump said, “It will definitely happen with the European Union, I can tell you that, because they’ve really taken advantage of us and, you know, we have [an] over $300 billion deficit. … I wouldn’t say there’s a timeline but it’s going to be pretty soon.”
Trump had revisited the idea of imposing tariffs on the EU on Friday in remarks in the Oval Office.
“Am I going to impose tariffs on the European Union? Do you want the truthful answer or should I give you a political answer? Absolutely, absolutely,” he told reporters.
Trump added, “The European Union has treated us so terribly.”
The president previously posted about it in December before he was inaugurated, saying that if the EU didn’t buy more U.S. oil and gas, it would be “TARIFFS all the way!!!”
The latest comments follow Trump’s ordering of tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China on Saturday. Those included a 25% tariff on Canadian and Mexican goods exported to the United States, as well as a 10% tariff for China, all slated to take effect on Tuesday at midnight.
Canada and Mexico responded with measures of their own, with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announcing late Saturday a 25% tariff against $155 billion worth of American goods. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum ordered both “tariff and non-tariff measures in defense of Mexico’s interests” without specifying what those measures would include.
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The EU said earlier Sunday it would “respond firmly” to any tariffs Trump imposes.
“The EU would respond firmly to any trading partner that unfairly or arbitrarily imposes tariffs on EU goods. There is a lot at stake,” an EU spokesperson said.
