July 12 (UPI) — The United States will start charging 30% tariffs on August 1 on products coming into the country from the European Union, President Donald Trump confirmed Saturday.
Trump confirmed the tariffs in a letter to European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen dated Friday and later posted on Truth Social.
“The United States of America has agreed to continue working with the European Union, despite having one of our largest trade deficits with you,” Trump wrote in the letter, which referred to the trade deficit as a matter of national security.
In the letter, Trump cited the need to “move away from these long-term, large, and persistent, Trade Deficits, endangered by your Tariff, and Non-Tariff, Policies and Trade Barriers.”
The news comes as Trump this week announced 35% import tariffs on all imports from Canada as the two countries were in the midst of negotiations.
Trump earlier this month said he would not waver from his July 9 deadline to impose reciprocal tariffs on countries around the world that failed to reach agreements with the United States.
Letters with final “take it or leave it” offers then began going out last week.
Vietnam and Britain are among the few countries that have reached deals with the United States on the tariff front prior to the deadline.
“Starting on August 1, 2025, we will charge The European Union a Tariff of only 30% on EU products sent into the United States,” Trump wrote in the letter.
“Please understand that this 30% number is far less than what is needed to eliminate the Trade Deficit disparity we have with the EU.”
Trump signaled tariffs could climb if the EU fails to “allow complete, open Market Access to the United States, with no Tariff being charged to us, in an attempt to reduce the large Trade Deficit.”
The president also warned the EU against escalating the situation, which von der Leyen indicated was a possibility.
“A 30% tariff on EU exports would hurt businesses, consumers and patients on both sides of the Atlantic. We will continue working towards an agreement by August 1,” von der Leyen wrote on X Saturday morning.
“At the same time, we are ready to safeguard EU interests on the basis of proportionate countermeasures.”
Trump addressed the possibility of retaliation in his letter.
“If for any reason you decide to raise your Tariffs and retaliate, then, whatever the number you choose to raise them by, will be added onto the 30% that we charge,” Trump wrote.
“This Deficit is a major threat to our Economy and, indeed, our National Security!”