Speaking at a cabinet meeting, Trump described the EU – whose creation was encouraged for decades by Washington – as rooted in an attempt to counter the US.

“Look, let’s be honest, the EU was formed in order to screw the US,” Trump said.

Asked if he had made a decision on tariff levels for the bloc, Trump added: “We’ll be announcing it very soon and it’ll be 25%, generally speaking.”

He said this would hit products including cars, adding that the EU has “really taken advantage of us.”

Trump has threatened “reciprocal tariffs” on US trading partners to counter “unfair and unbalanced” trade.

He has also said he would impose sweeping levies on imports of certain products, such as autos and pharmaceuticals.

Since taking office in January, Trump has announced and paused blanket tariffs on US neighbours Canada and Mexico over illegal immigration and fentanyl smuggling.

Asked about the halt, Trump said he was not stopping the tariffs, adding that he planned for levies to take effect on April 2.

“The tariffs go on, not all of them, but a lot of them,” he said.