Trump announces he wants to raise customs duties on European vehicles “next week”

New turnaround. Donald Trump said this Friday that he wanted to increase customs duties on vehicles imported into the United States from the EU to 25%, accusing the European bloc of not respecting their trade agreement.

The American president says he is “delighted” to announce this new measure of distrust towards one of his main trading partners, in a message on his Truth Social platform published a few days after an argument with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

It targets both cars and heavier vehicles (“trucks” in English). “It is clearly understood and agreed that if they produce cars and trucks in factories located in the United States, NO CUSTOMS DUTY will be applied,” adds the president.

From 15% to 25%

The European Union and the United States reached an agreement last summer limiting customs duties on European cars and spare parts to 15%, while other countries remained hit by 25%.

Donald Trump accuses several European partners of refusing any military or logistical contribution to operations carried out by Washington in the Strait of Hormuz, against Iran. He notably affirmed this week that he was considering reducing the American forces stationed in Germany after Friedrich Merz declared that “the Americans (had) visibly no strategy” in Iran. Germany is a major automobile producer.