On Sunday, U.S. President Donald Trump decided against implementing 50% tariffs on European imports as previously threatened. He agreed to shift the deadline for trade negotiations to July 9, after the European Union’s top executive, Ursula von der Leyen, requested additional time to secure a favorable deal.
“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,” wrote Trump on his Truth Social platform.
Trump had raised the stakes on Friday, expressing dissatisfaction with the sluggish pace of trade discussions, and had declared his intention to enforce substantial new tariffs starting June 1, unsettling global markets in the process.
However, following a conversation with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, where she emphasized the need for more time to finalize a mutually beneficial agreement, Trump agreed to postpone the initiation of the import taxes to the original deadline he had set in April.
