Brussels defiant as Trump sets June 1 deadline for sweeping import duties on European goods
The European Union has warned it is prepared to defend its interests after US President Donald Trump threatened to impose a 50% tariff on all goods imported from the bloc, a move that could escalate into a transatlantic trade war.
Speaking after a call with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefcovic said Brussels remained “fully engaged” in securing a trade deal, but insisted the relationship must be “guided by mutual respect, not threats.”
“The European Commission remains ready to work in good faith,” Šefcovic posted on social media. “EU–US trade is unmatched and must be guided by mutual respect, not threats. We stand ready to defend our interests.”
Trump’s threat, announced Friday on his Truth Social platform, came after he expressed impatience with the pace of negotiations and claimed talks were “going nowhere.” He warned the tariffs would be applied from 1 June, adding that there would be no duties on products manufactured within the US.
“I’m not looking for a deal – we’ve set the deal,” he said later to reporters, before suggesting he might reconsider if a major European investment in the US were announced.
Transatlantic trade at risk
The EU exported over US$600bn in goods to the US last year, while importing US$370bn, according to US government data. Trump has repeatedly pointed to this imbalance, claiming the EU was formed to “take advantage” of the United States. He has also floated additional tariffs targeting iPhones, Samsung phones, and key European industries including pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, and automotive parts.
The threatened tariffs would dramatically increase the current 10% baseline to 50%, just months after Trump imposed and then partially rolled back a 20% tariff on most EU goods to allow for negotiations.
While the US has maintained a 25% tariff on EU steel and aluminium since Trump’s first administration, the new threats come at a time of growing political divergence and mutual distrust between Washington and Brussels.
European leaders urge de-escalation
European leaders responded swiftly and critically. Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin described Trump’s move as “extremely disappointing” and warned the tariffs would be “damaging to all sides.”
“Tariffs at the level suggested would grievously damage one of the world’s most dynamic and significant trading relationships,” Martin said, urging a return to negotiations as “the only sustainable way forward.”
French Trade Minister Laurent Saint-Martin echoed the call for restraint, writing: “We are maintaining the same line: de-escalation, but we are ready to respond.”
German Economy Minister Katherina Reiche said the bloc “must do everything” to reach a solution, while her colleague Lars Klingbeil, the finance minister, warned: “The US tariffs endanger the US economy just as much as the German and European economy.”
Bernd Lange, chair of the European Parliament’s trade committee, warned that Brussels would not hesitate to impose countermeasures, including retaliatory tariffs, if the US followed through.
“The EU is strong enough to implement countermeasures to offset the economic damage,” Lange said.
Broader tensions and political backdrop
The tariff standoff comes amid worsening diplomatic ties between the US and Europe under Trump’s second term. Vice President J.D. Vance and other administration figures have issued barbed comments about European security and values, while Trump’s allies—including Elon Musk—have shown open support for far-right European parties critical of the EU itself.
Analysts see the tariff threats as part of a broader strategic realignment, with Trump’s team seeking to pressure Europe into bilateral agreements or to distance itself from China.
Stephen Moore, a former Trump economic advisor, said the president was expressing frustration that “no real deal has come” and described the 50% tariff threat as “a shot at the bow.”
The EU, for now, appears unwilling to abandon multilateral negotiations. However, Brussels is already consulting on more than €100bn worth of retaliatory measures and has paused—but not withdrawn—plans for a 25% tariff on €18bn worth of US goods.
As the June 1 deadline approaches, both sides face mounting economic and political pressure to find a resolution. In the meantime, global markets reacted nervously to the uncertainty, with the S&P 500 dropping 0.7% and major European indices falling more than 1.5% on Friday.
For now, Šefcovic’s message captures the bloc’s stance: engaged, but unbowed. “We don’t need provocations,” said Germany’s finance minister Klingbeil. “We need serious negotiations.”
