President Donald Trump has agreed to delay the implementation of a proposed 50% tariff on European Union goods until July 9, following a direct request from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The announcement, made Sunday on Trump's Truth Social platform, came just two days after he warned that discussions with the 27-nation bloc were "going nowhere."
"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 wrote. "I agreed to the extension - July 9, 2025 - It was my privilege to do so."
The delay averts, for now, a sharp escalation in transatlantic trade tensions that threatened to impact over $600 billion in goods. In a post on X, von der Leyen described the call as "good," adding, "Europe is ready to advance talks swiftly and decisively. The EU and US share the world's most consequential and close trade relationship."
The tariff threat follows months of escalating rhetoric from Trump, who previously imposed a 20% tariff on the EU before temporarily slashing it to 10% in April under his "reciprocal tariffs" doctrine. Last week, Trump floated a "straight 50% tariff" beginning June 1, accusing Brussels of failing to negotiate in good faith.
"Our discussions with them are going nowhere!" Trump posted Friday. He later stated, "It's time that we play the game the way I know how to play the game," during a White House executive order signing.
According to reporting from the Financial Times, the administration had been preparing to reject the EU's trade overtures unless Brussels first implemented unilateral tariff reductions. Trump himself said he was "not looking for a deal" during remarks in the Oval Office.
The European Union is currently undergoing a public review of a proposed list of retaliatory tariffs on approximately $100 billion in U.S. goods. The fate of that review is now uncertain following the weekend's developments.
