President Donald Trump has posted two letters on his social media platform announcing new tariffs on the European Union and Mexico that will take effect on Aug. 1.
Trump will impose a 30% tariff on Mexico due to fentanyl crossing the border, he said in a letter to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.
“Mexico has been helping me secure the border, BUT what Mexico has done is not enough. Mexico still has not stopped the Cartels who are trying to turn all of North America in a Narco-Trafficking Playground,” Trump wrote in the letter.
Mexico did not face a new tariff on April 2, the day of Trump’s so-called “Liberation Day” tariff rollout. There remains a 25% tariff on non-USMCA-compliant goods from Canada and Mexico, as well as a 50% tariff on steel, aluminum and derivative products.
The United States mainly imports vehicles, machinery and electrical equipment, alongside agricultural products such as fruits, vegetables, beer and spirits from Mexico.
Trump said the EU will also face a 30% tariff as a result of the United States trade deficit, in a letter addressed to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
The EU, one of the largest trading blocs with the U.S., primarily exports pharmaceutical products and mechanical appliances to the U.S.
According to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, the U.S. goods trade deficit with the European Union was $235.6 billion in 2024, a 12.9 % increase over 2023.
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Trump has long touted productive conversations that left him “extremely satisfied” regarding a trade deal with the EU; however, at one point, he once threatened tariffs as high as 50%.
In his letters, Trump again promised that there would be no tariffs on manufacturing companies that decide to build in the U.S.
The European Commission president responded Saturday saying the 30% tariff “would hurt businesses, consumers and patients on both side of the Atlantic.”
“We will continue working towards an agreement by August 1,” von der Leyen said. “At the same time, we are ready to safeguard EU interests on the basis of proportionate countermeasures.”
In a statement posted on X, Mexican economic minister Marcelo Ebrard said Mexico had already been negotiating with the U.S. to “protect businesses and jobs.”
“We were informed that, as part of the profound changes in U.S. trade policy, all countries will receive a letter signed by the President of the United States establishing new tariffs starting August 1st,” Ebrard said. “We stated at the meeting that this was an unfair deal and that we did not agree with it.”
