Donald Trump Begins Reciprocal Tariff War

If they are charging us 130% and we’re charging them nothing, it’s not going to stay that way - Donald Trump, President, US

Washington: President Donald Trump said he will soon announce that the United States will impose 25 per cent tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports, including from Canada and Mexico, as well as other import duties later in the week.

“Any steel coming into the United States is going to have a 25 per cent tariff,” he told reporters Sunday on Air Force One as he flew from Florida to New Orleans to attend the Super Bowl. When asked about aluminum, he responded, ‘aluminum, too’ will be subject to the trade penalties. Trump also reaffirmed that he would announce ‘reciprocal tariffs’ ‘probably Tuesday or Wednesday” — meaning that the US would impose import duties on products in cases where another country has levied duties on US goods.

“If they are charging us 130 per cent and we’re charging them nothing, it’s not going to stay that way,” he told reporters. Trump’s comments are the latest example of his willingness to threaten, and in some cases to impose, import taxes.