Trump threatens European Union with 25% tariffs on cars and trucks

Updated May 1, 2026, 1:34 p.m. ETWASHINGTON – President Donald Trump threatened to increase tariffs on cars an trucks from the European Union in retaliation for what he alleged was the EU's failure to comply with a trade agreement.“I am pleased to announce that, based on the fact the European Union is not complying with our fully agreed to Trade Deal, next week I will be increasing Tariffs charged to the European Union for Cars and Trucks coming into the United States,” Trump said May 1 on social media. “The Tariff will be increased to 25%.”Trump didn’t cite which law he would use to impose the tariffs. The Supreme Court overturned his emergency tariffs on imports from other countries in February, but he has vowed to impose the fees under other statutes, which typically come after an investigation of unfair trade practices rather than by the president on his own.EU trade official calls US 'unreliable' trading partnerBernd Lange, head of the EU parliament's trade committee, said the announcement demonstrated that the United States is an unreliable trading partner."This latest move demonstrates just how unreliable the U.S. side is," Lange said. "This is no way to treat close partners. Now we