Agadir – Donald Trump announced on Friday that the US will raise tariffs on cars and trucks imported from the European Union to 25% starting next week, up from the previously agreed 15%, citing what he described as non-compliance with a bilateral trade deal.
“Based on the fact the European Union is not complying with our fully agreed to Trade Deal, next week I will be increasing Tariffs charged to the European Union for Cars and Trucks coming into the United States. The Tariff will be increased to 25%, ” Trump announced on Friday in a Truth Social post.
“It is fully understood and agreed that, if they produce Cars and Trucks in the USA Plants, there will be NO TARIFF,” he added, noting that many automobile plants are under construction with more than $100 billion investment.
Speaking later at the White House, Trump defended the move as a way to boost domestic manufacturing.
“We have a trade deal with the European Union. They were not adhering to it. So I raised the tariffs on cars and trucks to 25%, that’s billions of dollars coming into the United States, and it forces them to move their factory production much faster,” he said.
Read also: Global Alarm as Trump’s 15% Tariffs Trigger Market Volatility, European Criticism
The decision triggered immediate criticism from European officials and trade experts, adding strain to already tense transatlantic relations.
The European Commission rejected Trump’s assertion that the bloc had failed to comply with the agreement, emphasizing that implementation procedures are still underway.
Officials indicated that Brussels would consider countermeasures if Washington proceeds with the tariff hike, keeping “all options open” to safeguard European economic interests.
The escalation comes amid broader geopolitical tensions between Washington and Brussels, including disagreements over the war in Iran and European hesitation to deploy naval forces to secure the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump has also recently threatened to reduce US troop levels in Germany, Italy, and Spain following remarks by the German politician Friedrich Merz criticizing US handling of the crisis.
The chair of the European Parliament’s international trade committee, Bernd Lange, responded to Trump’s decision, describing Trump’s behavior as “unacceptable.”
“This latest move demonstrates just how unreliable the U.S. side is. We have already witnessed these arbitrary attacks from the U.S. in the case of Greenland; this is no way to treat close partners,” Lange told Reuters. “Now we can only respond with the utmost clarity and firmness, drawing on the strength of our position.”
