President Donald Trump said he agreed to give the European Union until July 4, 2026, the day of the nation’s 250th birthday, to fulfill a “historic” trade deal with the United States or risk higher tariffs.
Trump claimed he had a “great call” with Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, on Thursday in a Truth Social post.
“I’ve been waiting patiently for the EU to fulfill their side of the Historic Trade Deal we agreed in Turnberry, Scotland, the largest Trade Deal, ever!” Trump said of their conversation.
Trump was referring to a trade deal that the U.S. and EU agreed to last July at his Turnberry golf resort in Scotland. In the deal, the EU would end tariffs on U.S. industrial goods, and Trump would limit tariffs on the EU to 15%. To the fury of Trump, the EU has not enacted legislation that would officially limit tariffs on the U.S.
“A promise was made that the EU would deliver their side of the Deal and, as per Agreement, cut their Tariffs to ZERO!” Trump wrote. “I agreed to give her until our Country’s 250th Birthday or, unfortunately, their Tariffs would immediately jump to much higher levels.”
European Commissioner for Trade Maros Sefcovic and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer met on Tuesday but failed to reach a breakthrough agreement. Trump previously threatened to impose a 25% tariff on European cars and trucks.
The Supreme Court struck down Trump’s use of tariffs on most trade partners in February, a move that paused the EU from ratifying the Turnberry trade deal.
TRUMP TO RAISE TARIFFS ON EUROPEAN CARS AND TRUCKS TO 25%
Trump also said that he and von der Leyen discussed the Iran war.
“We discussed many topics, including that we are completely united that Iran can never have a Nuclear Weapon,” he wrote. “We agreed that a regime that kills its own people cannot control a bomb that can kill millions.”
