Trump to Unveil Auto Tariffs at 4 P.M. White House News Conference/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ President Donald Trump will announce new tariffs on foreign-made cars and parts Wednesday, a move aimed at boosting U.S. manufacturing but one that could disrupt global auto supply chains and raise prices. The White House says details will come during a 4 p.m. press conference.
Trump Auto Tariffs + Quick Look
- What’s Happening: Trump to unveil tariffs on imported cars and auto parts.
- Announcement Time: 4 p.m. EST from the White House.
- Goal: Encourage auto manufacturing inside the U.S.
- Market Impact: GM and Ford shares down around 1.5%-1.7%.
- Supply Chain Concern: U.S. automakers rely on foreign parts, especially from Mexico and Canada.
- Past Tariffs: Existing import taxes on China, Mexico, and Canada — some previously suspended.
- Tariff Scope: Expected to be part of Trump’s “reciprocal tax” agenda.
- Political Twist: AP suing Trump officials over press access and editorial retaliation.
Trump to Unveil Auto Tariffs at 4 P.M. White House News Conference
Deep Look
Trump’s Auto Tariff Move Marks Next Step in ‘America First’ Trade Doctrine
President Donald Trump will escalate his protectionist trade agenda Wednesday by announcing a new set of auto tariffs aimed at reshaping the U.S. automobile industry. The news conference, scheduled for 4 p.m. EST, is expected to outline how the White House plans to tax imported vehicles and parts in a bid to bring more manufacturing jobs to the United States.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the announcement and said full details would come directly from Trump. “We are going to be doing automobiles, which you’ve known about for a long time,” Trump teased earlier this week, signaling that his long-awaited move was imminent.
The decision has Wall Street on edge. General Motors stock slid 1.7% Wednesday afternoon, while Ford dropped about 1.5%, as investors anticipated potential disruptions to the industry’s global supply chains.
While Trump has argued that foreign-made autos represent an unfair trade imbalance, critics and economists say the tariffs could backfire, raising prices for consumers and causing automakers to scale back production. Even U.S.-based manufacturers rely heavily on Canadian and Mexican parts, with cross-border production deeply embedded in North American supply chains.
This latest action builds on Trump’s broader plan to impose “reciprocal” tariffs on countries that charge high duties or value-added taxes on American goods. On April 2, new taxes are scheduled to hit a wide array of imported products unless Trump’s demands are met.
Auto tariffs are not new to Trump’s playbook. He already imposed 20% tariffs on Chinese goods, citing fentanyl trafficking, and 25% duties on Mexico and Canada. After fierce opposition from the auto industry, Trump issued a 30-day reprieve on auto-related tariffs, a delay that now appears to be ending.
The policy shift also arrives amid growing legal tensions with the press. The Associated Press has filed a lawsuit against Leavitt and two other Trump officials, accusing them of retaliation over editorial decisions. The White House says the AP failed to comply with a controversial executive order requiring use of the term “Gulf of America” instead of “Gulf of Mexico.”
Despite legal distractions, Trump appears focused on fulfilling his long-standing promise to revitalize U.S. manufacturing by leveraging tariffs as both a carrot and stick.
With the clock ticking on industry reprieves and tensions mounting over international trade norms, the auto industry — and American consumers — may soon feel the impact of this latest bold move from the White House.
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