Trump announces 30% levies against EU, Mexico – OXBIG NEWS NETWORK

President Donald Trump on Saturday announced he’s levying tariffs of 30 per cent against the European Union and Mexico starting August 1.

Trump announced the planned tariffs on two of the United States’ biggest trade partners in letters posted to his social media account.

They are part of an announcement blitz by Trump of new tariffs with allies and foes alike, a bedrock of his 2024 campaign that he said would set the foundation for reviving a US economy that he claims has been ripped off by other nations for decades.

In his letter to Mexico’s leader, Trump acknowledged that the country has been helpful in stemming the flow of undocumented migrants and fentanyl into the United States. But he said the country has not done enough to stop North America from turning into a “Narco-Trafficking Playground.”

“Mexico has been helping me secure the border, but, what Mexico has done, is not enough,” Trump added.

Trump in his letter to the European Union said that the US trade deficit was a national security threat.

“We have had years to discuss our trading relationship with the European Union, and we have concluded we must move away from these long-term, large and persistent trade deficits,” Trump wrote in the letter to the EU. “Our relationship has been, unfortunately, far from reciprocal.”

European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen responded by noting the bloc’s “commitment to dialogue, stability, and a constructive transatlantic partnership.” She added, “At the same time, we will take all necessary steps to safeguard EU interests, including the adoption of proportionate countermeasures if required.”

Trump, as he has in previous letters, warned that his administration would further raise tariffs if the EU attempts to hike its own tariffs on the United States.