Trump Gives EU Until July 4 to Ratify Trade Pact or Face Higher Tariffs

US President Donald Trump has issued a fresh warning to the European Union , saying the bloc must approve a pending trade agreement by July 4 or face sharply higher US tariffs , including possible hikes on European automobile imports.

In a social media post on Thursday, Trump said he had a “great call” with Ursula von der Leyen and agreed to extend the deadline until America’s 250th Independence Day celebrations. However, he criticised the slow pace of ratification by the European Parliament .

“A promise was made that the EU would deliver their side of the Deal and, as per Agreement, cut their Tariffs to ZERO!” Trump wrote, warning that tariffs would “immediately jump to much higher levels” if the agreement is not approved in time.

The move appears to delay Trump’s earlier threat to raise tariffs on EU cars and trucks from 15 per cent to 25 per cent this week. Officials in the Trump administration have also hinted that punitive measures could extend beyond automobiles.

The proposed “Turnberry” trade framework, negotiated last year in Scotland, calls for the EU to remove tariffs on US industrial goods and offer duty-free quotas for selected American agricultural and seafood exports.

The dispute has become more complicated after the US Supreme Court ruled in February that Trump lacked authority to impose some earlier tariffs under an economic emergency declaration. A US trade court this week also ruled against part of Trump’s broader tariff policy, though the decision applied narrowly.

Von der Leyen said both sides remain “fully committed” to implementing the deal, adding that “good progress” is being made ahead of the next round of EU-US negotiations scheduled for May 19.