Trump Set To Announce New Tariffs, Further Widening Global Trade War

By RFE/RL February 10, 2025

President Donald Trump said he will on February 10 announce 25 percent tariffs on all steel and aluminum products entering the United States, threatening to further ignite the trade war that has shaken markets worldwide.

"Any steel coming into the United States is going to have a 25 percent tariff," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One as he traveled to New Orleans to attend the Super Bowl - the American football championship considered the country's biggest sporting event.

Government and industry statistics show that Canada, Brazil, Mexico, and South Korea are the biggest sources of U.S. steel imports. Canada supplies nearly 80 percent of U.S. imports of aluminum.

Trump also told reporters he would on either February 11 or 12 "probably" unveil "reciprocal tariffs" on countries that already have levied duties on U.S. products.

"If they are charging us 130 percent and we're charging them nothing, it's not going to stay that way," Trump said.

Trump did not offer further details on his plans.

Experts have said the tariffs could roil the world economy. They also have pointed out that U.S. consumers would actually pay the tariffs in the form of higher prices for imports.

On February 3, Trump warned Americans they may face economic "pain" because of the trade tariffs he had announced over the previous weekend on Canada, Mexico, and China -- the top three U.S. trading partners.

He later stated tariffs on Canada and Mexico would be paused for 30 days after he said the leaders of the two countries pledged stronger border measures to stop migrant crossings and illicit drugs.

The U.S. president has also threatened tariffs on goods from the European Union, saying they would "definitely happen" "pretty soon." He also suggested Britain could be the target of tariffs.

Trump has long complained about the EU's 10 percent tariffs on U.S. autos when the U.S. rate on European cars is 2.5 percent, although rates vary depending on the vehicles.

French President Emmanuel Macron on February 9 said U.S. tariffs on Europe would increase inflation in the United States and told CNN that Trump should not focus his attention on America's allies within the EU.

"Is the European Union your first problem? No, I don't think so. Your first problem is China, so you should focus on the first problem," he said.

"It means if you put tariffs on a lot of sectors, it will increase the costs and create inflation in the U.S. Is it what your people want? I'm not so sure," he said.

Stock markets worldwide tumbled after Trump initially announced tariffs against Canada, Mexico, and China, but they rallied after he expressed willingness to negotiate on the levies.

With reporting by AP and Reuters

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/trump-tariff-china-canada- mexico-steel-eu/33309159.html

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Trump Set To Announce New Tariffs, Further Widening Global Trade War