President Trump on Friday made it clear his patience with European Union trade negotiators had run out, announcing a significant 50% tariff on EU imports to take effect June 1. He underscored his personal involvement, stating, “I just said, ‘It’s time that we play the game the way I know how to play the game,'” indicating a hands-on approach to trade disputes.
The President directly involved himself in the tech industry’s concerns, threatening at least a 25% tariff on imported iPhones, potentially from late June. He revealed a personal warning delivered to Apple CEO Tim Cook, emphasizing the need to relocate manufacturing to the United States. Trump’s pointed message was that overseas production, even in places like India, would not escape significant duties if products were sold into the U.S., a threat that could extend to Samsung and other major smartphone brands.
This latest move follows a period of temporary de-escalation in early April. Despite his Treasury Secretary’s ongoing negotiations and hopes of “lighting a fire” under the EU, Trump later contradicted this, stating plainly, “I’m not looking for a deal.” This suggests a personal conviction to bypass traditional negotiation processes, preferring to simply dictate new tariff rates to businesses and trading partners.