Revised at 2:12 PM EDT on July 28, 2025
Scotland’s Turnberry and Aberdeen Following discussions at his golf property on the western coast of Scotland with Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, President Trump announced he had reached a trade agreement with the European Union on Sunday.
The accord lowers the 30% tax that the president most recently threatened to apply to the majority of EU exports to the US to 15%. Trump claims the EU has agreed to accept U.S. products free of tariffs.
“This one was significant. “This is the most significant of all,” Trump informed reporters.
The agreement’s specifics were still pending. Trump stated that pharmaceuticals would not be included in the agreement, and that steel and aluminum would not be, claiming that tariffs on those products are a “worldwide thing that stays the way it is.”
However, von der Leyen later informed reporters that pharmaceuticals would be subject to the 15% rate, and that the US will lower tariff rates and establish a quota for European steel. Additionally, she stated that “zero-for-zero tariffs” will be applied to semiconductor equipment, certain agricultural items, aircraft and parts, and other “strategic products.”
According to Trump, the EU committed to investing $600 billion in the US and purchasing $750 billion worth of U.S. energy as part of the deal.
The deal follows a last-minute meeting between Trump and von der Leyen, which was crammed into the president’s trip to Scotland to play golf at his resorts. Trump has set a deadline of Friday for the implementation of 30% tariffs on EU imports.
One of the United States’ largest trading partners is the European Union. Cecilia Malmstrom, a former EU trade commissioner, told NPR that with daily trade of over $4 billion, it is one of the most significant economic partnerships in the world.
Trump blames Hamas for Gaza hunger
Reporters also questioned Trump on whether Israel has to do more to get food enter Gaza. He stated that the United States had sent $60 million in relief in recent weeks and reaffirmed a criticism that the contribution had not been acknowledged, but he did not directly respond to the question.
“Only we contributed. “Gee, thank you very much,” no one said. And at least a thank you would be good,” Trump remarked.
He stated that “the U.S. is going to do more aid for Gaza, but we’d like to have other countries participate.”
Although he criticized Hamas, Trump called the pictures of desperation from Gaza “terrible”. “I believe people would have gone hungry if we hadn’t been there. They would have starved, to be honest. He said, “It’s not like they’re eating well, but Hamas is stealing a lot of that food.”
Additionally, Trump stated that he anticipates talking about the Gaza issue when he meets with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday.
Copyright 2025 NPR
