President Donald Trump speaks to supporters throughout a rally on the US Metal-Irvin Works on Could 30, 2025 in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania.
Jeff Swensen | Getty Photographs
The European Union on Saturday criticized President Donald Trump’s transfer to double tariffs on metal imports, warning that it “undermines” efforts to achieve a “negotiated answer” within the ongoing commerce warfare.
“We strongly remorse the introduced enhance of U.S. tariffs on metal imports from 25% to 50%,” an EU spokesperson stated in a press release to NBC Information.
“This determination provides additional uncertainty to the worldwide financial system and will increase prices for customers and companies on either side of the Atlantic,” the spokesperson continued.
The spokesperson added that the EU is “ready to impose countermeasures, together with in response to the most recent U.S. tariff enhance.”
The United Steelworkers union (USW) additionally criticized Trump’s announcement and stated it’s a “direct assault on Canadian industries and staff.”
“Hundreds of Canadian jobs are on the road and communities that depend on metal and aluminum are being put in danger,” Marty Warren, United Steelworkers Nationwide Director for Canada, stated in a assertion.
“Canada wants to reply instantly and decisively to defend staff.”
Trump on Friday introduced that he deliberate on doubling tariffs on metal imports to 50% from 25%, growing the stress on producers depending on industrial metals for manufacturing.
The brand new import duties are set to go into impact June 4.
His announcement, made at a rally at U.S. Metal in Pennsylvania, got here after the president signaled earlier this month that he would approve a controversial deal between Nippon Metal and U.S. Metal.
Trump highlighted an “settlement” between Nippon and U.S. Metal throughout the Friday rally, however stated that the deal was not but last.
He stated that there might be no layoffs and “no outsourcing in any way” as a result of deal.
The EU, which stated that it had paused its countermeasures in opposition to the U.S. on April 14 “to permit time and area” for negotiations, stated it’s ready to instate these measures “if no mutually acceptable answer is reached.”
“The European Fee is at present finalizing consultations on expanded countermeasures,” the spokesperson stated. “If no mutually acceptable answer is reached, each present and extra EU measures will robotically take impact on 14 July — or earlier, if circumstances require.”
The Trump administration’s tariff plan hit a snag this week after the U.S. Court docket of Worldwide Commerce halted almost all of Trump’s country-specific tariffs on the grounds that he had exceeded his authority.
The courtroom’s order to cancel the tariffs was swiftly paused, no less than for now, by an appeals courtroom.
Regardless of the pause, the ruling has thrown a wrench into the administration’s broader commerce technique, which depends on the specter of excessive tariffs to create leverage and pressure international locations to renegotiate their commerce offers with the U.S.