President Donald Trump announced Sunday that he would delay the planned 50% tariff on goods from the European Union until July 9. He said this decision followed a positive phone call with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. 

“Trump stated that von der Leyen asked for the delay to allow more time for serious negotiations and he agreed to shift the date from June 1 to July 9.”

Trump added that both sides would begin talks quickly to avoid the tariff. This is not the first time Trump has delayed tariff threats after announcing them. In April he also postponed a 20% tariff on the EU which was part of a series of reciprocal tariffs that kept changing. 

Minutes after speaking to reporters Trump posted on Truth Social that the talks with Europe would begin rapidly. Von der Leyen also confirmed on X that she had a good call with Trump and that the EU was ready to move talks forward.

Trump Softens Tone after Strong Threats

Just two days before Trump said he was not seeking a deal and that the EU tariff would go into effect on June 1. But now he seems open to negotiation. This shift also comes as Trump pushes hard on trade deficits which he blames for hurting the US economy. The US ran a $236 billion trade deficit with the EU last year according to Commerce Department data. Stock markets across Asia responded positively to the delay. Japan’s Nikkei rose 0.8% South Korea’s KOSPI gained 0.9% and China’s Shanghai index also moved slightly higher.