In a move that reignites his regulatory dispute with the European Union, President of the United States Donald Trump brought forward threats of imposing 50 percent tariffs on Friday. This announcement was met with calls for ‘respect’ from Brussels, showing tensions between both parties. In another surprise move, Trump targeted renowned smartphone manufacturers, including America’s tech behemoth, Apple, proposing new tariffs of 25 percent unless they relocate their production processes to the United States.
Global stock markets reacted to Trump’s comments with noticeable drops due to escalating fears of global economic instability. This comes after a perceived period of calm as Trump appeared to have recently reached agreements with China and the United Kingdom. Trump’s first mention of the potential tariff hike on the EU took form in an early morning social media post—a familiar platform for the former president.
Casting doubt on the success of negotiations with European counterparts, Trump noted, ‘Our discussions with them are going nowhere!’ He then proposed an aggressive 50 percent tariff on the European Union, to be enacted from June 1, 2025. The declaration came across direct and unequivocal—a clear indication of Trump’s resolution on the issue.
Confirming his commercial stance also later in the day, Trump held a press conference at the Oval Office where he underscored that these remarks were not an attempt to coerce Europe into a new deal. ‘I’m not looking for a deal. I mean, we’ve set the deal. It’s at 50 percent,’ he re-emphasized. This shift in tone seems to indicate his dissatisfaction with how the European nations have previously interacted with the U.S. on trade matters.
‘They haven’t treated our country properly. They banded together to take advantage of us’, is how Trump described his perceptions of the bloc’s dealings with the US. According to Trump, the proposed tariffs, if materialized, would significantly escalate the current ten percent baseline tariff, exacerbating the strain between the world’s largest economy and its biggest trading partner.
In response to Trump’s position, the European Union’s top trade delegate emphasized a diplomatic approach to negotiations with Washington. Rather than threats, he said, the EU is keen to establish a trade agreement based on ‘respect’. He also stated, ‘The EU’s fully engaged, committed to securing a deal that works for both’, following a previously planned call with the US Trade Representative and Commerce Secretary.
Simultaneously, Trump turned his attention toward domestic tech leader, Apple, giving reason for further market apprehension. Singling out its CEO, he criticized Apple for not transferring iPhone production to the U.S. He reaffirmed his expectations for iPhones designed for the U.S. market, anticipating their local manufacture.
‘Long ago, I informed Apple that I expect their iPhones intended for the U.S. market to be manufactured and constructed here, not in India or anywhere else,’ Trump stated, emphasizing his desire for local production. Otherwise, he continued, they must be prepared to pay a tariff of at least twenty-five percent—a cost Apple would have to bear.
Raising the stakes, Trump expanded his tariff threats to all foreign-made smartphones. He argued it was not a targeted action against Apple but a general policy aimed at all manufacturers: ‘It would be also Samsung and anybody that makes that product, otherwise it wouldn’t be fair.’
Trump further added that the new tariffs would be enforced from the end of June. His warning sends a clear message to foreign-based companies about the cost of doing business without local production in the United States.
In a surprising move which he named as ‘Liberation Day’, on April 2, Trump had already imposed wide-ranging tariffs on most global imports. His new proposals continue this trend, but bring a more focused approach to his policy, hitting specific industries with the EU facing a 20 percent tariff increase.
The post Trump’s Surprising Tariff Threats Reignite EU Regulatory Dispute appeared first on Real News Now.
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