President Donald Trump rekindled the US trade war on Friday, threatening to impose a 50 percent tariff on the European Union ahead of planned trade talks -- and drawing a strong response from European politicians.

The new duties on Brussels would, if imposed, dramatically raise Washington's current baseline levy of 10 percent, and fuel simmering tensions between the world's biggest economy and its largest trading bloc.

Lamenting that negotiations with the EU "are going nowhere," Trump said on Truth Social on Friday that he is recommending "a straight 50% Tariff on the European Union, starting on June 1, 2025."

The EU had been "formed for the primary purpose of taking advantage of the United States on TRADE," he said, taking a swipe at "difficult" negotiations.

European leaders and senior politicians reacted with dismay to Trump's announcement, and called for de-escalation.

"We are sticking to our position: de-escalation, but ready to respond," France's trade minister Laurent Saint-Martin posted on the X social media platform.

Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin called Trump's announcement "enormously........

© International Business Times