The U.S. will not bow out of tariff deals it had already sealed with countries around the world. This includes the UK, EU, Japan, Switzerland and others. So said the Trump administration’s trade representative, Jamieson Greer, on Sunday, 22 February.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Friday, 20 February, that many of the tariffs imposed by the U.S. president were illegal. This led to Trump announcing a new 15% global tariff on all imports the very next day.
Greer told CBS’s Face the Nation that the new levy was separate from agreements struck in the last 9 months with about 20 countries globally.
The UK’s education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, acknowledged on Sunday, 22 February, that the UK’s businesses faced uncertainty over the new 15% levy on imports from around the world. Phillipson stated to Sky News that the UK anticipates maintaining its preferential trade arrangements with the U.S.
Business leaders also said that they expected the UK to double down on the existing deal announced by Trump with the UK Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, in May 2025, rather than walk away.
The EU said that it stands by its commitments to the deal struck between the European Commission Chief, Ursula von der Leyen, and Trump in Scotland on July 25. The agreement was for a 15% import tariff on most EU goods. This deadline amounts to half the date threatened by Trump at that time.
The bloc fears that Trump’s latest 15% levy could overturn the deal. If imposed over the existing tariffs, it may lead to an even higher rate on many goods. Such items would include wines and spirits.
So, in a strongly worded statement, the EU called on the U.S. not to walk back the July ’25 deal.
A deal is a deal, the EU said. The U.S. is the EU’s largest trading partner, so the EU has stated that it expects the U.S. to honour its commitments.
