Key Points

In separate letters posted on Truth Social, Trump informed Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen about the tariff decision, citing border security and trade imbalances as key reasons, according to The Hill.

In his letter to Sheinbaum Pardo, Trump referenced the ongoing fentanyl crisis as a major concern behind the decision. "Mexico has been helping me secure the border, BUT, what Mexico has done, is not enough," the president wrote.

As The Hill noted, the US had previously imposed a 25 percent tariff on Mexican goods, though Trump later exempted items covered under the 2020 US-Mexico-Canada Agreement. It remains unclear whether those exemptions will still apply after the new tariffs take effect on August 1.

In his letter to von der Leyen, Trump shifted focus to longstanding trade grievances with the EU. "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, as reported by The Hill.

The president has repeatedly criticised the EU, once claiming the bloc was created to 'screw' the United States. The Hill stated that Trump's message to von der Leyen reflects his continued frustration over what he sees as unfair trade practices by European nations.

Citing data from the US Census Bureau, The Hill reported that Mexico remains America's top trading partner in 2025. EU countries such as Germany, Italy, France, and the Netherlands also rank among the top 15.

This week, Trump has posted multiple letters to Truth Social, warning more than a dozen countries that he plans to impose steep tariffs on their imports starting August 1. The Hill highlighted that these tariffs were originally proposed in April but were paused for 90 days to allow for negotiation.

However, in that window, the US has only reached a finalised trade agreement with the United Kingdom and announced frameworks of deals with China and Vietnam, The Hill reported.

- ANI