President Donald Trump announced Sunday that he is delaying a planned tariff hike on European Union imports after a call with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who asked for more time to negotiate what she called a “good deal.”
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the tariff increase—from 10% to 50%, a move he floated just two days earlier—will now be pushed back from June 1 to July 9. He cited his conversation with von der Leyen as the reason for the delay.
“I received a call today from Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, requesting an extension on the June 1st deadline on the 50% Tariff with respect to Trade and the European Union,” Trump said. “I agreed to the extension — July 9, 2025 — It was my privilege to do so. The Commission President said that talks will begin rapidly. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
Von der Leyen said she had a “good call” with Trump in a post on X. “The EU and US share the world’s most consequential and close trade relationship,” von der Leyen said. “Europe is ready to advance talks swiftly and decisively. To reach a good deal, we would need the time until July 9.”
Just before the start of Memorial Day weekend, Trump announced that he would impose a 50% tariff on products imported from the European Union. This decision appears to accelerate the deadline for his “Liberation Day” tariffs on the European bloc by just over a month, moving it up from the previously established 90-day pause.
“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,” Trump said at the time. “Their powerful Trade Barriers, Vat Taxes, ridiculous Corporate Penalties, Non-Monetary Trade Barriers, Monetary Manipulations, unfair and unjustified lawsuits against American Companies, and more, have led to a Trade Deficit with the U.S. of more than $250,000,000 a year, a number which is totally unacceptable. Our discussions with them are going nowhere!”
“Therefore, I am recommending a straight 50% Tariff on the European Union, starting on June 1, 2025,” he added. “There is no Tariff if the product is built or manufactured in the United States.” Meanwhile, Trump told reporters in Morristown, N.J., on Sunday that von der Leyen “wants to get down to serious negotiation.”
