Trump intensifies trade war with threat of 30 per cent tariffs on EU, Mexico
In an escalation of a trade war that has angered US allies and rattled investors, Trump announced the latest tariffs in separate letters to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum that were posted on his Truth Social media site on Saturday.
The EU and Mexico, both among the largest US trading partners, responded by calling the tariffs unfair and disruptive while pledging to continue to negotiate with the US for a broader trade deal before the deadline.
Sheinbaum said she was sure an agreement could be reached.
'I've always said that in these cases, what you have to do is keep a cool head to face any problem,'
Sheinbaum said at an event in the Mexican state of Sonora.
'We're also clear on what we can work with the United States government on, and we're clear on what we can't. And there's something that's never negotiable: the sovereignty of our country.'
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Trump sent similar letters to 23 other trading partners this week, including Canada, Japan and Brazil, setting blanket tariff rates ranging from 20 per cent up to 50 per cent, as well as a 50 per cent tariff on copper.
The US president said the 30 per cent rate was 'separate from all sectoral tariffs', indicating 50 per cent levies on steel and aluminium imports and a 25 per cent tariff on auto imports would remain.
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