Trump Pushes 50 % EU Tariff Threat to July 9 After Call with von der Leyen

President Trump granted Brussels a six-week breather on Sunday, bumping his “straight 50 percent” tariff on all EU imports from June 1 to July 9, 2025. The extension followed what both sides called a “good call” between Trump and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, who said she needed the extra time to “reach a good deal.” Trump, for his part, framed the delay as a courtesy yet warned negotiations are “going nowhere” and hinted he’s ready to play hardball if fresh terms aren’t sealed.

Markets had braced for impact: Apple, autos, wine, meds—the full €500-billion pipeline of European goods—were poised to jump in price overnight. The concession steadied futures but left exporters jittery; they’ve already swallowed a yo-yo of levies since Trump’s reciprocal-tariff blitz began in April. EU trade chiefs now must craft an offer that satisfies Midwest steel and Champagne producers alike, while U.S. senators debate whether the broader House megabill—stuffed with tax cuts and spending hikes—can survive its own party’s deficit hawks.

July 9 now looms as the make-or-break date. If talks collapse, a 50 percent blanket duty would dwarf any modern U.S. tariff salvo, eclipsing even the China fight and risking a tit-for-tat spiral with America’s biggest export customer. For consumers, that could mean pricier BMWs, Bordeaux, and Botox; for central bankers, another inflationary migraine just as Treasury yields lurch higher. All eyes shift to Brussels and Washington—where “playing the game” meets an anxious supply chain on the clock.