Trump Ramps Up Pressure on the EU: Minimum Tariffs May Rise to 15%–20%

According to ChainCatcher, sources familiar with the matter revealed that Trump has raised his demands in trade negotiations with the European Union, seeking to maintain tariffs on EU goods at a minimum level of 15% to 20% in any agreement reached. In previous weeks, both sides had planned to keep tariffs on most goods at a basic level of 10%. However, Trump’s tougher stance this time is intended to test the EU’s bottom line for tolerating tariff pressure.

Sources said that Trump was unmoved by the EU’s latest proposal to lower auto tariffs and indicated he was willing to keep auto tariffs at 25% as originally planned. A U.S. official disclosed that even if an agreement is reached, the U.S. government is considering setting reciprocal tariffs at above 10%.

A senior EU diplomat stated that if Trump insists on setting reciprocal tariffs at 15% to 20%, it would return to the level at the start of trade talks in April this year and could force the EU to take retaliatory measures.