« This is the beginning of America’s Liberation Day »

President Trump makes his threat a reality: the US in the future will impose an additional 25 percent fee for all not produced vehicles in the US.

« This is the beginning of America’s Liberation Day, » Donald Trump said. For a long time, other countries have abused the US as a savings box and stole it, but it has already ended, the US president said. In the future, an additional 25 percent fee will apply to all imported cars – no matter where they are produced in the world. « They come into force on April 2 and from 3 onwards the money will be taken, » Trump said. The US president assured that these tariffs are no longer negotiable, but « permanent ».

Trump promises that additional tariffs will not only generate billions of dollars extra income for the US-enough money to reduce taxes and repay the debt mountain, according to him. The local vehicle industry will also become great, because in order to avoid tariffs, car manufacturers in the future will produce completely in the US, Trump believes. « This is very exciting. And it will lead to the construction of new car factories. Figures we have never seen. Even in terms of jobs, » Trump said. But he also admits: « All will take some time. »

Economics experts warn that Trump’s account may not work. According to them, car prices for US consumers will initially increase massively. Even for American brands. As US vehicles also consist mainly of components built in Mexico or Canada. In the city of Detroit car, the sales business was afraid that consumers will postpone their future purchase of the car. « What worries us is that cars already cost an average of $ 49,000 – almost like never before, » Glenn Stevens, ARD portal, Tagesschau as saying. He is the head of Michauto, the Automobile Industry Association in Michigan. « Even small price increases can affect demand. And this also has an impact on supply chains, production costs and perhaps even job costs. »

Vehicle tariff setting is seen as a further escalation by US partners. Canada’s new Prime Minister Mark Carney, for example, speaks of a direct attack on his country – and threatens with anti -Tariffs. EU Commission President Ursula von Der Leyen expresses regret over Trump’s decision and wants to continue working for a negotiated solution.