Trump announces significant 30% tariffs against Mexico, EU to begin next month

President Donald Trump announced Saturday that his administration will impose a 30% tariff on goods from Mexico and members of the European Union (EU) starting Aug. 1, citing trade deficits and national security concerns.

In separate letters posted on Truth Social, Trump said the new tariffs — targeting two of the United States’ largest trading partners — were "separate from all Secular Tariffs" that are already in place.

In his letter to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, Trump said Mexico has failed to make sufficient progress in stopping drug cartels and the flow of fentanyl from turning "all of North America into a Narco-Trafficking Playgorund," prompting him to raise his tariffs from the original 25% announced earlier this year. 

"Mexico has been helping me secure the border, BUT, what Mexico has done, is not enough," Trump wrote in his letter to Sheinbaum. "Mexico still has not stopped the Cartels who are trying to turn all of North America into a Narco-Trafficking Playgorund. Obviously, I cannot let that happen!"

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"Starting August 1, 2025, we will charge Mexico a Tariff of 30% on Mexican products sent into the United States, separate from all Sectoral tariffs," Trump added. "Goods transshipped to evade higher Tariffs will be subject to that higher Tariff."

In a separate letter addressed to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Trump claimed that the European Union's policies caused "large and unsustainable Trade Deficits against the United States," adding that the said imbalance also poses a major national security threat.

"We have had years to discuss our Trading Relationship with The European Union, and have concluded that we must move away from these long-term, large, and persistent Trade Deficits, engendered by your Tariff, and Non-Tariff, Policies and Trade Barriers," Trump wrote.

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Trump also warned that any retaliatory tariffs imposed by Mexico or the EU would be matched and added to the 30% base rate: "Whatever the number you chose to raise them by, will be added onto the 30% that we charge."

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Von der Leyen responded to the announcement in a post on X, warning that the tariffs would negatively impact both economies but expressed willingness to continue negotiations. 

"A 30% tariff on EU exports would hurt businesses, consumers and patients on both sides of the Atlantic," von der Leyen said. "We will continue working towards an agreement by August 1. At the same time, we are ready to safeguard EU interests on the basis of proportionate countermeasures."

In a separate statement on American-EU trade, von der Leyen said she will continue to deepen global partnerships "firmly anchored in the principles of rules-based international trade."

"Few economies in the world match the European Union's level of openness and adherence to fair trading practices," the statement released on Saturday read. "The EU has consistently prioritized a negotiated solution with the U.S., reflecting our commitment to dialogue, stability, and a constructive transatlantic partnership."

French President Emmanuel Macron echoed the European Commission’s criticism of the new levies in a post on X on Saturday, saying France "shares the same very strong disapproval at the announcement."

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Macron added that the Commission must protect its interests, and that France "fully supports" the Commission in the negotiations.

"This announcement comes after weeks of intense engagement by the Commission in negotiations with the United States, on the basis of a solid offer made in good faith," Macron said. "With European unity, it is more than ever up to the Commission to assert the Union's determination to resolutely defend European interests. In particular, this implies speeding up the preparation of credible countermeasures, by mobilising all the instruments at its disposal, including anti-coercion, if no agreement is reached by August 1st."

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U.S. Census Bureau data shows that Mexico is currently the top U.S. trading partner in 2025. EU members, including Germany, Italy, France and the Netherlands, are also among the top 15.

With Saturday’s announcement, Trump has now issued tariff conditions on more than two dozen individual countries and the 27-member European Union.

Sheinbaum did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.