Trump Demands 50% Tariff on European Union Goods by June 1

preCharge News POLITICS — Former President Donald Trump on Friday reignited global trade tensions by calling for a 50% tariff on all European Union imports, threatening to upend financial markets and transatlantic relations if Brussels doesn’t concede in stalled negotiations.

In a fiery Truth Social post, Trump accused the EU of exploiting the United States and obstructing progress in trade discussions. “The European Union, which was formed for the primary purpose of taking advantage of the United States on TRADE, has been very difficult to deal with,” he wrote.

“Our discussions with them are going nowhere! Therefore, I am recommending a straight 50% Tariff on the European Union, starting on June 1, 2025.”

Trump's Truth Social post announcing the EU tariff

Markets Dive as Trump Revives His Tariff Playbook

U.S. stock futures tumbled moments after Trump’s post. European markets slid 2%, reacting to the prospect of a new tariff war between two of the world’s largest economies.

This marks a stark pivot from Trump’s recent tone on trade. He had previously touted breakthroughs with China and the United Kingdom, easing investor concerns. But Friday’s warning struck a more confrontational tone, signaling a return to the aggressive economic nationalism of his first term.

Just 30 minutes before targeting the EU, Trump had floated a 25% tariff on Apple’s iPhones if the company fails to shift manufacturing back to U.S. soil.

Trump’s follow-up post targeting EU trade barriers

“There is no Tariff if the product is built or manufactured in the United States,” Trump added in the post.

White House and Treasury Try to Contain Fallout

Inside the White House, officials scrambled to downplay the market panic, emphasizing that Trump’s message was not an official policy directive.

“The president’s post may have been designed to create leverage,” NBC’s Eamon Javers reported. U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer was already scheduled to meet with EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic later Friday morning.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox News the EU’s proposals have fallen short of expectations. “I would hope that this would light a fire under the EU,” he said when asked if Brussels could avert the tariffs before the June 1 deadline.

Why the EU Is in Trump’s Crosshairs—Again

Trump’s frustration with Europe is longstanding. In his Truth Social post, he blasted EU policies including value-added taxes, corporate penalties, non-monetary trade barriers, and what he described as “monetary manipulation.”

He claimed these mechanisms have created an annual U.S. trade deficit with Europe exceeding $250 billion, a figure he labeled “totally unacceptable.”

Brussels, for its part, has not issued a formal response. The European Commission declined to comment when contacted by preCharge News.

The EU was America’s second-largest export destination in 2022, importing nearly $351 billion in U.S. goods, according to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. A 50% tariff could significantly disrupt that relationship.

Experts Warn of Economic Fallout

The tariff threat shocked economic analysts who warn of potential stagflationary effects—slower growth coupled with rising prices.

“To go to 10% was going to be the highest tariff rate we had on the world in 90 years. To go to 50% is a completely different order of magnitude,” said Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee in an interview.

He added that such tariffs raise the cost of production while slowing output, creating a nightmare scenario for the Federal Reserve.

Trump has already imposed sector-specific tariffs, including a 25% levy on steel and aluminum imports from Europe. In April, he briefly introduced a blanket 20% EU tariff under a “reciprocal tariff” initiative before scaling it down to 10% for 90 days.

Clock Is Ticking: Can the EU Strike a Deal Before June 1?

While Trump’s threat has not yet become official policy, the pressure is real. Greer’s 11 a.m. ET meeting with Sefcovic may determine whether Europe blinks—or braces for a trade war.

“We’ll see if they come back with something meaningful,” said Bessent. “Otherwise, June 1 is right around the corner.”

Whether this is a negotiating tactic or the opening shot in a broader economic battle, the message from Trump is clear: Comply—or face consequences.