WASHINGTON — Following a phone conversation he characterized as positive with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, President Donald Trump issued an ultimatum Thursday via social media, warning that European Union products will be subject to increased tariff rates unless the 27-nation alliance finalizes last year’s trade agreement by Independence Day.
The president expressed frustration that the European Parliament has not yet completed approval of the trade framework negotiated in the previous year. The situation became more complex in February when the Supreme Court determined that Trump did not possess the constitutional power to declare an economic emergency as justification for the original tariffs that pressured the EU into negotiations.
In his social media statement, Trump wrote: “A promise was made that the EU would deliver their side of the Deal and, as per Agreement, cut their Tariffs to ZERO! I agreed to give her until our Country’s 250th Birthday or, unfortunately, their Tariffs would immediately jump to much higher levels.”
