U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday announced 30% tariffs on imports from the European Union and Mexico, effective August 1, targeting two of the country's largest trade partners.

The announcement came through letters Trump posted on his social media account, where he outlined the reasoning behind the move.

In his message to Mexico’s president, Trump acknowledged the country’s efforts in helping to curb undocumented migration and the flow of fentanyl into the U.S. However, he criticized Mexico for not doing enough to prevent the region from becoming what he called a “Narco-Trafficking Playground.”

In a separate letter addressed to European Union leaders, Trump described the U.S. trade deficit as a threat to national security.

“We have had years to discuss our Trading Relationship with The European Union, and we have concluded we must move away from these long-term, large, and persistent, Trade Deficits, engendered by your Tariff, and Non-Tariff, Policies, and Trade Barriers,” Trump wrote. “Our relationship has been, unfortunately, far from Reciprocal.”

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The move is part of a broader campaign effort by Trump, who has been ramping up announcements of new tariffs as a central theme of his 2024 re-election bid. He claims these measures will restore fairness to the U.S. economy, which he says has been exploited by foreign powers for decades.

By introducing these reciprocal tariffs, Trump is effectively challenging the global trade framework established under the Uruguay Round of negotiations, which set tariff rates under a “most favored nation” principle — ensuring no country was treated less favorably than others.

With Saturday’s letters, Trump has now imposed tariff conditions on 24 countries and the 27-member European Union.