Donald Trump is threatening new crippling tariffs on the European Union after trade negotiations have gone south – then launched extraordinary allegations at Apple that sent markets spenning.
Trump took to Truth Social on Friday morning to put the ‘difficult’ EU on blast for ‘taking advantage’ of the United States.
He slammed estimates of a $250,000,000 trade deficit between the two countries every year, adding it’s ‘totally unacceptable.’
‘Our discussions with them are going nowhere!’ he proclaimed before threatening to slap a ‘straight 50 percent tariff’ on the EU beginning June 1.
‘There is no tariff if the product is built or manufactured in the United States,’ he added.
That came shortly after he tore into Apple, following a White House meeting this week with the CEO of the tech giant.
‘I have long ago informed Tim Cook of Apple that I expect their iPhone’s that will be sold in the United States of America will be manufactured and built in the United States, not India, or anyplace else.’
Then came the threat. ‘If that is not the case, a Tariff of at least 25% must be paid by Apple to the U.S. Thank your for your attention to this matter!’
Trump’s stunning market-changing missives came hours after he dined with top investors in his $STRUMP meme coin during a lavish dinner at his northern Virginia golf club.
Trump’s new threat to the EU comes weeks after he struck an emergency trade deal with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to ‘save’ the car industry.
The deal, which President Trump said was only possible ‘because of Brexit’, cuts U.S. tariffs on cars imported from the UK from 25 per cent to 10 for the first 100,000 vehicles.
Ministers had feared that leading car makers were preparing to cut thousands of jobs unless the tariffs were reduced.
Donald Trump is threatening new crippling tariffs on the European Union after trade negotiations have gone south
Trump’s new threat comes weeks after he struck an emergency trade deal with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to ‘save’ the car industry
The deal was the first struck since President Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs stunned the world last month.
Trump said the speed of the deal with the UK was only possible because of Britain’s status outside the EU.
This is a breaking story and will be updated.
