EU Slams Trump Tariff Threat as Trade Tensions Escalate

The head of the European Parliament’s trade committee has criticized President Donald Trump’s threat to increase tariffs on European cars and trucks, calling the move “unacceptable,” Jorge Valero reported for Bloomberg News.

The U.S. has also been accused of breaching existing agreements, pointing to tariffs on steel and aluminum. (Photo: AG Gymnasium Melle)

Trump said last week that he would raise tariffs on EU vehicles to 25%, arguing that the bloc had failed to comply with a prior trade agreement.

“This latest move demonstrates just how unreliable the U.S. side is,” said Bernd Lange, chair of the European Parliament’s trade committee. “This is no way to treat close partners.”

Lange also accused the U.S. of breaching existing agreements, pointing to tariffs on steel and aluminum.

Under a trade deal signed in July, the EU agreed to eliminate tariffs on U.S. industrial goods in exchange for a 15% ceiling on most EU exports. European officials argue that Washington has not fully adhered to the terms.