BRUSSLE (Euronews) - 
During a rally at a steel plant the U.S. president announced that he will double tariffs on steel imports. Afterwards, he announced the same for aluminum. The measure, which would hit Europe hard, is supposed to come into force on 4 June.
In a swift reaction to the move, a European Commission spokesperson said in an emailed statement: “We strongly regret the announced increase of U.S. tariffs on steel imports from 25% to 50%,” the news agency Reuters reported, adding:
“This decision adds further uncertainty to the global economy and increases costs for consumers and businesses on both sides of the Atlantic”.
Also referring to the ongoing transatlantic trade talks, the spokesperson said that “the tariff increase also undermines ongoing efforts to reach a negotiated solution” and stated that “the EU is prepared to impose countermeasures, including in response to the latest U.S. tariff increase”, if needed.
The U.S. president said that doubling taxes on imported steel would “further strengthen the steel industry in the United States”.
In a post, published later on his Truth Social platform, the U.S. president added that duties on aluminum will also increase from 25% to 50%. Trump said both increases will come into effect on Wednesday, 4 June.
The announcement comes after confusing days during which the judiciary gave opposing rulings on Trump’s customs policy, first blocking it with a decision by the U.S. Court of International Trade and finally giving it the green light again, pending a new decision by a federal appeals court.
Trump spoke on Friday at U.S. Steel’s Mon Valley Works-Irvin plant on the outskirts of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he also discussed details of a deal being finalized for investment by Japan’s Nippon Steel in the iconic American steel mill.