Summary
Germany vows not to “give in” as Donald Trump imposes a 25% tariff on imported cars, effective April 2, with parts tariffs starting in May.
France, Canada, China, and Japan criticize the move, warning of economic harm and trade disruptions. European leaders call for retaliatory tariffs to maintain a balanced trade field.
Automakers’ shares, including General Motors and Ford, dropped significantly.
Trump argues tariffs will boost US manufacturing, while critics claim they will increase consumer prices and hurt global economic ties.
Trump’s entire goal, and I cannot stress this enough, is power.
If Trump believes that making allies and negotiating trade deals would make him powerful to his base, he absolutely would. This guy is using the military, tariffs, and executive orders as a flex. He doesn’t care about the economy. He only cares that his power is unchallenged.