TMTPOST -- U.S. President Donald Trump is warning two long-time allies not to hurt the country with their potential united retaliation against the upcoming auto tariffs.
Credit：China Central Television
Trump issued the warning, threatening he will impose 「far larger」 than planned tariffs on to the European Union and Canada in a post on his social media Truth Social on Thursday. 「If the European Union works with Canada in order to do economic harm to the USA, large scale Tariffs, far larger than currently planned, will be placed on them both in order to protect the best friend that each of those two countries has ever had!,」 Trump said in the post.
Trump a day earlier just signed an executive proclamation to impose a 25% tariff on all automobile imports, effective on eastern daylight time April 3 at 12:01 a.m. The new tariff is 「permanent」, Trump underscored in the Oval Office prior to his signing. He told reporters that the tariff will affect 「all cars that not made in the United States.」
Trump then added If the cars are 「made in the United States, it』s absolutely no tariff.」 "We are going to charge countries for doing business in our country and taking our jobs, taking our wealth, taking a lot of things that they have been taking over the years," the president states.
The EU and Ottawa didn』t made their formal response yet but suggested they are considering possible retaliations.
In a statement released late Wednesday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she deeply regretted the US decision to impose tariffs on European automotive exports. She cited her previous marks that tariffs are taxes are bad for businesses, worse for consumers equally in the US and the EU.
「We will now assess this announcement, together with other measures the US is envisaging in the next days,」 von der Leyen said. 「The EU will continue to seek negotiated solutions, while safeguarding its economic interests.」
France will work with the European Commission on a 「riposte,」 with a aim to 「find an accord to dismantle the tariffs」, said French President Emmanuel Macron said at a news conference on Thursday. He warned the auto tariffs would only intensify inflationary pressure in U.S. and hit growth across the Atlantic.
Calling the U.S. auto tariffs 「a direct attack」, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Wednesday vowed to defend the workers, companies and the whole nation. He on Thursday reiterated the pledge and said Canada would move rapidly to trade more with other countries because it was clear that the United States was 「no longer a reliable partner.」
Given Trump』s plan to announce reciprocal tariffs on April 2 and his threat of duties on more specific sectors, Carney said he would wait to see what other trade measures were announced by President Trump before revealing any retaliation by Canada. 「We』re going to know a lot more in a week and we will respond then,」 he said.
Carney said Canada will introduce additional retaliatory tariffs on the United States but they would not be finalized until April 2. 「We will respond forcefully — nothing is off the table to protect our workers and our country,」 Carney said.