Trump Threatens EU With 50% Tariffs, Targets Apple iPhones

President Donald Trump launched a broader trade war on Friday when he declared his intention to impose both a 50% tariff on all EU imports and a 25% tariff on Apple products made outside the U.S.

Through his Truth Social platform Trump communicated his disappointment with the EU trade negotiations while warning about potential June 1 tariffs. This move indicates a major increase in the government's approach to achieve trade agreements while bringing manufacturing jobs back to the United States.

“Our discussions with them are going nowhere!” Trump wrote. “There is no Tariff if the product is built or manufactured in the United States.”

The new trade restrictions from Trump follow his recent decision to cut Chinese product tariffs to 30% in order to restart diplomatic discussions with China. The demand for Apple to manufacture iPhones within U.S. borders aligns with Trump's national strategy to move American manufacturing operations back from international locations to domestic production facilities.

Trump has repeatedly informed Apple CEO Tim Cook about his expectations regarding the company. The U.S. will require Apple to pay at least 25% tariff on all imported products unless they manufacture within the U.S.

Economists alongside trade experts rapidly clarified that import tariffs function as consumer taxes which importers normally distribute through increased prices. The implementation of these measures would lead to elevated costs for all products ranging from electronic devices to cars.

The production challenges Apple faces would be significant because the company has already started shifting its supply chain operations to India and Vietnam to reduce its dependence on China. Such a transition would result in doubled manufacturing expenses that would lead to substantial price increases for their products.

European Union officials maintain their trade negotiations with planned schedules even though they have not provided an official reaction to the pressure. The move creates increased market uncertainty because Trump continues to use trade disruptions for achieving domestic economic objectives.