EU Tells Trump “A Deal Is a Deal” as Tariff Dispute Deepens

Tensions between Brussels and Washington escalated on Sunday after the European Commission insisted the United States must honor a trade agreement reached last year, warning that “a deal is a deal.”

The sharp response followed remarks by US President Donald Trump>, who said he would raise a global 10% tariff to 15% after the US Supreme Court blocked several of his emergency trade measures.

The court’s decision has thrown uncertainty over the future of a transatlantic deal negotiated in July 2025, which was due to be ratified by the European Parliament this week.

Brussels Demands “Clarity”

In a statement, the Commission urged Washington to provide “full clarity” on how it intends to proceed following the court ruling.

“EU companies and exporters must have fair treatment, predictability and legal certainty,” the executive body said, warning that the current environment risks undermining what both sides had described as a “fair, balanced and mutually beneficial” agreement.

“In particular, EU products must continue to benefit from the most competitive treatment, with no increases in tariffs beyond the clear and all-inclusive ceiling previously agreed,” the Commission added.

What Was in the Deal?

The trade agreement was struck after months of tension. Shortly after returning to office in January 2025, Trump imposed sweeping tariffs aimed at shrinking the US trade deficit and reviving domestic manufacturing.

By July, he had threatened to slap a 30% tariff on all EU goods. Negotiations ultimately produced a compromise: tariffs of 15% on most European exports to the United States, alongside a commitment from the EU to purchase $750 billion (€636.5 billion) in US energy products through 2028.

However, ratification was later paused by EU officials amid separate political friction, including Trump’s controversial push for the United States to assume control of Greenland — an autonomous territory of Denmark and part of the European Union framework.

Growing Uncertainty

The Supreme Court’s intervention has complicated the legal foundation of Trump’s tariff strategy, leaving businesses on both sides of the Atlantic facing fresh uncertainty.

For Brussels, the message was unequivocal: the agreement reached last year must stand as negotiated. Whether Washington recalibrates its approach — or doubles down — could determine the next chapter in US-EU trade relations.