On Saturday (July 12), Trump posted a letter addressed to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador on his social media platform Truth Social, stating that the EU would face a new 30% tariff, which is higher than the 20% announced by Trump in early April, and Mexico's 30% tariff is also higher than the 25% tariff Trump imposed in March due to the fentanyl smuggling issue.
In the letter, Trump demanded that the EU "fully open market access to the US, without imposing any tariffs on US goods, in order to reduce the massive trade deficit the US has with the EU."
Von der Leyen issued a statement saying: "The 30% tariff on EU exports to the US will disrupt the supply chain of essential goods across the Atlantic, harming businesses, consumers, and patients on both sides."
She stated that the EU continues to seek an agreement with the US before August 1, but will take all necessary measures to protect EU interests, including corresponding countermeasures.
