WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump threatened Friday to roll out 25 percent tariffs by the end of next month on smartphones made by Apple, Samsung Electronics Co. and other companies if they are not manufactured in the United States.

Speaking after signing executive orders at the White House, Trump said the new levies could take effect by the end of June.

“It would be more. It would be also Samsung and anybody that makes that product. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be fair,” Trump said during a press availability after signing executive orders at the White House

Trump defended the measure when asked why he would target Apple, an American company.

“If they build in the US, there’s no tariff,” he said, taking issue with Apple’s increasing production in India. “That’s okay, but if you want to sell here, you’ll pay.”

Trump’s threat of new levies on imported smartphones added to concerns in South Korea over his administration’s series of new import taxes, which could impact bilateral economic and trade relations

South Korea and the US have been engaged in talks over tariffs and other trade issues as Seoul has been striving to minimize the impact of the Trump administration’s reciprocal and other sectoral tariffs on Asia’s fourth-largest economy.

Trump also took aim at the European Union, expressing frustration over stalled trade talks and proposing a flat 50 percent tariff on EU goods starting June 1. He repeated his long-standing claim that the EU was “formed to take advantage of the US.”

“We’ve set the deal,” he said. “There is no tariff – if they build their plant here.” PNA/Yonhap