On February 18, US President Donald Trump said that he would impose a tariff of about 25% on imported cars and would make more statements on this topic on April 2. Trump said the tariffs would drive companies back to the United States, since if they set up factories in the United States, the tariffs would be zero.
Trump has stressed that American cars are treated unfairly in foreign markets, such as the European Union's 10 percent tariff on car imports, which is four times the tariff on cars in the United States.
Politico reported that in 2024, the United States imported USD 471 billion (CNY 3,431 billion) worth of automotive products, including USD 214 billion (CNY 1,559 billion) worth of cars, USD 192 billion (CNY 1,559 billion) worth of parts and USD 65 billion (CNY 474 billion) worth of special purpose vehicles such as trucks and buses. In terms of import value, the United States imports the most automotive products from Mexico, reaching about USD 49 billion (CNY 357 billion) in 2024; Followed by Japan at USD 40 billion (CNY 291 billion), South Korea at USD 37 billion (CNY 270 billion), Canada at USD 28 billion (CNY 204 billion) and Germany at USD 25 billion (CNY 182 billion). Currently, most cars made in Mexico and Canada can enter the United States duty-free.
According to the report, regardless of the details of the tariff on imported cars, the United States has previously proposed imposing 25% tariffs on all products from Mexico and Canada, so the original preferential import policies of Mexico and Canada have been precarious. Trump's move will further aggravate tensions between the United States and its North America, Europe and major trading partners.
According to Agence France-Presse, the US government not only sees tariffs as a potential source of revenue, but also as a way to stimulate multinational companies to increase production capacity in the United States.