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The President's Daily Brief
PDB Afternoon Bulletin | July 28th, 2025: Trump Steamrolls Europe On Tariffs & Issues A New Deadline To Putin
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Mike Baker
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Caitlin Becker
Foreign.
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Mike Baker
It's Monday, the 28th of July. Welcome to the PDB Afternoon Bulletin. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. All right, let's get briefed. First up, President Trump strikes a new deal, a trade deal with the European Union. After months of tense negotiations, ending fears of a looming transatlantic trade war. Will have those details later in the show. Disappointed by the Kremlin's continued failure to engage in actual negotiations to end their war in Ukraine, President Trump is tightening the screws on Moscow, giving Vladimir Putin just 10 to 12 days to reach a ceasefire deal with Kyiv or face crushing economic consequences. Now, honestly, I don't think Putin is going to change his ways just because he's been given an ultimatum. But first, today's afternoon spotlight in what President Trump is hailing as the largest trade deal of all time. Now, I don't know, that Louisiana Purchase was a pretty big deal. The US On Sunday secured a new trade deal with the European Union, securing hundreds of billions in US energy and defense sales while slapping a 15% tariff on EU imports. Now, the announcement, made alongside European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at Trump's golf course in Scotland, capped off months of tariff brinkmanship and put to rest the specter of a transatlantic trade war. Under the terms of the deal, the EU will commit $750 billion in American energy imports and inject another $600 billion into U.S. industries. Von der Leyen confirmed Brussels will now shift away from Russian oil and gas toward, quote, significant purchases of US LNG oil and nuclear fuels. Now, while the full text of the agreement remains under wraps, the takeaway seemed to be, well, unambiguous. Europe, it appears, blinked. The EU came to the table insisting on a 10% tariff cap. Trump refused a budge from the 15%. Trump stated, quote, all of the countries will be open to trade with the US adding that the 27 EU nations will are also agreeing to purchase, quote, a vast amount of US military equipment. The EU's choice was stark, accept the 50% levy or face up 30% hike by Trump's Friday deadline. According To a senior Asia Pacific strategist at TD securities, he described the agreement as quote, this is not negotiation, this is the art of the deal. Doubling down that this is, quote, a big win for the U.S. the new tariff package hits Europe where it hurts, such as automobiles, semiconductors and pharmaceuticals. Trump had floated a 200% levy on non U S manufactured drugs earlier this year, warning that quote, we can't be in a position where we're relying on other countries, end quote. Sunday's deal stopped short of that figure but significantly reshaped the medical supply chain. With Ireland and Germany's pharmaceutical industries expected to absorb the heaviest impact in Europe. The reaction has been a mix of damage control and denial. Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Mertz spun it as dodging a bullet, stating, quote, a trade conflict has been averted that would have severely impacted the export oriented German economy. Ireland's prime minister tried to put a bow on it, calling the deal, quote, good for business before conceding that the higher tariffs will make bilateral trade quote, more challenging. France, well, France took a harder line. In a sharply worded statement, the country's prime minister labeled the deal, quote, capitulation, calling it, quote, a dark day when an alliance of free peoples resolves to submission, end quote. Now that submission, of course, doesn't come without pain. Pharmaceuticals, the EU's largest US export last year at some $155 billion, now faces steep hurdles. Ireland, the bloc's top drug supplier, is bracing for the fallout and Germany's drug manufacturers warned of drastic manufacturing costs. Sunday's announcement is the culmination of a pressure campaign that began months ago as we've been tracking here on the PDB. Back in April, Trump threatened a 20% tariff on the block and in May he upped it to 50%. By June, the White House issued a final warning, 30% by 1 August, unless a deal was in hand and the EU folded with days to spare. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick confirmed Sunday that the 15% semiconductor tariff will be finalized within two weeks. Steel and aluminum tariffs will remain at 50% and as Lutnick put it, there will be no further extensions or grace periods after the 1st of August. With Europe now squared away, the White House is shifting focus to Beijing. US and Chinese officials opened their third round of talks in Stockholm today led by Treasury Secretary Scott Besant, ahead of a 12 August deadline to extend a fragile tariff truce. As we've previously discussed, Beijing has long dominated global rare earth supplies, essential for defense and high tech manufacturing, and in April it tightened their export controls. While some restrictions have eased off in June, the US Is pressuring for deeper access to Chinese markets as well as action on fentanyl trafficking. Trump suggested things with China are trending in the right direction, saying, we really sort of made a deal with China, but we'll see how that goes, end quote. All right, up next, the Trump administration is upping the pressure on Russia to end their war against Ukraine, giving Vladimir Putin a deadline of 10 to 12 days to reach a ceasefire deal with Kiev or face crushing economic consequences. I'll be right back. Hey, Mike Baker here. Let me take just a brief moment of your time to talk about how to protect your hard earned savings. Now, I know the personal finance talk isn't everybody's favorite, but it is critically important to your financial health. Now, one of the smartest ways to protect your hard earned savings is through diversification. And one way to diversify is with gold from the Birch Gold Group. Look, gold is up some 40% just in the past year. And central banks where they're buying up record amounts of gold in part due to global instability. Birch Gold Group makes it easy to own physical gold, whether in your IRA or like a lot of folks just stored safely at home. Text PDB to the number 989898 and Birchgold will send you a free information kit on gold. There's no obligation. It's just useful information with an A rating. With a Better Business Bureau and tens of thousands of happy customers take control of your Savings today. Text PDB to the number 989-898. Mike Baker here. Well, I don't need to tell you this, but we are right smack dab in the middle of summer. And. And, well, that means one thing. Okay, fine, it means a bunch of things. But. But for me, I'll tell you what it means. It means prime grilling season. 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C
Becker, the host of the New York Post cast. And I've got exactly what you need to start your weekdays. Every morning I'll bring you the stories that matter, plus the news people actually talk about, the juicy details in the worlds of culture, pop politics, business, pop culture and everything in between. It's what you want from the New York Post wrapped up in one snappy show. Ask your smart speaker to play the NY Postcast podcast, listen and subscribe on Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [08:46]
Caitlin Becker
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- [09:03]
Mike Baker
Welcome back to the Afternoon Bulletin. The Trump administration has just tightened the screws on Vladimir Putin in a move that's sure to rankle the Kremlin. And when was the last time you heard anyone use the word rankle and probably rattle America's NATO allies? I used rattle and rankle in the same sentence. You're welcome. President Trump announced a new, sharply reduced deadline for Russia to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine. The new timeline? Well, just 10 to 12 days. Speaking from Scotland after meeting with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Trump told reporters there was, quote, no reason to wait any longer. He said progress toward peace has stalled and that patience has run out. Just two weeks ago, Trump had set a 50 day clock for Putin to end the war or face crushing economic consequences. Now he well, that clock's been reset. Trump stated that if Moscow fails to agree to a ceasefire, he'll impose what he calls a 100% tariff, not just on Russia, but on any country that continues to trade with them. The idea, of course, is to isolate Russia economically, raising the cost of its goods so high that global buyers will look elsewhere, punishing not just Moscow but all of its trading partners. So far, the Kremlin hasn't responded directly to this latest ultimatum. When Trump first floated the 50 day deadline, Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov called it, well, quote, very serious, but added that Moscow needed time to analyze it. Trump, for his part, expressed a deep frustration with Putin, pointing out that while their one on one talks once hinted at peace, Russia continues to lob missiles at Ukraine's cities on a near nightly basis. He called the ongoing attacks unacceptable and said he's, quote, no longer interested in talks. Now that, quote, no longer interested in talks was splashed across Russian state media within minutes. And while Trump says he and Putin have always gotten along well personally, he made it clear the window for negotiation is closing fast. Meanwhile, Ukraine's presidential chief of staff, Andre Yermak, welcomed Trump's tougher tone, praising him for delivering what he called a clear message of peace through strength. Russia's response? Well, not as cheerful. One Russian lawmaker brushed off Trump's threats, saying ultimatums don't work in Moscow and that Russia has, quote, weapons principles and will end quote. NATO leaders have so far stayed quiet, but the looming question, of course, is whether Trump's ticking clock approach will fracture Western unity or force a breakthrough. European officials have privately expressed concern that unilateral pressure from Washington could undercut Ukraine's negotiating position or signal a future pivot in US Support. For now, though, well, they're watching and waiting. As we've been reporting here on the pdb, Russia has intensified its summer offensive, bombarding Ukrainian cities with missiles and drones. Ceasefire talks have failed repeatedly, with the latest round barely lasting an hour. Of course, even if Moscow wanted to negotiate, the path forward is, well, let's call it murky, which is a conservative description of what it looks like. Russia's demands that Ukraine give up its NATO aspirations, slash its military and adopt neutrality remain political non starters in Kiev. As one European diplomat put it this week, the gap between the two sides isn't a crack, it's a canyon. Which raises the question, of course, what exactly does President Trump expect to happen in the next 10 to 12 days? And that, my friends, is the PDB Afternoon bulletin for Monday 28th July. Now, if you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me at PDB, the first tv.com and of course to listen to the show ad free. But you can do that. Just become a premium member of the President's Daily brief by visiting PDB premium.com I'm Mike Baker and I'll be back tomorrow. Until then, stay informed, stay safe, stay cool.