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After the threat of mbadive layoffs announced Monday by the US manufacturer General Motors, President Donald Trump hinted on Wednesday – after first severely raised the tone against GM-, he would indeed impose customs duties on imports of cars in the United States to protect the American automotive sector.
In a tweet, he welcomed the fact that small American trucks have been protected for years thanks to customs duties of 25% on truck imports.
The reason that the small truck business in the US is so popular, for many years, Tariffs of 25% have been put on small trucks coming into our country. It is called the "chicken tax." If we did it with cars coming in, many more cars would be built here …..
– Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 28, 2018
GM plans to cut 14,000 jobs and close 5 factories
"If we had done the same with cars coming here, many more cars would have been made here," he wrote. "… and G.M (General Motors) would not close its plants in Ohio, Michigan and Maryland," he added in a second tweet.
Indeed, General Motors (GM) announced on Monday that it would cut the order of 14,000 jobs and close 5 plants in the United States. According to AFP, In 2019, GM will cut 15% of the group's 180,000 jobs worldwide, stopping production at seven sites in fact: one in Oshawa, Canada, four in the United States, if one add the two located outside of North America.
….. and G.M would not be closing their plants in Ohio, Michigan & Maryland. Get smart Congress. Also, the countries that have taken advantage of the U.S. for decades. The President has great power on this issue – Because of the G.M. event, it is being studied now!
– Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 28, 2018
Launched in May, tax threats are becoming clearer
The tenant of the White House has once again accused the other countries of "To take advantage of" privileged access to the US market, and "for decades".
"The president has great power over this issue", he also underlined, probably alluding to the possibility that he will soon impose customs duties on car imports into the United States.
The White House announced at the end of May its intention to impose tariffs to defend the American automotive sector.
Donald Trump then instructed the Commerce Department to conduct a thorough investigation to establish the relevance of such taxes. Last summer, he conducted auditions of key American and foreign actors. He has received hundreds of comments in writing hostile to such taxes.
The mbadive opposition to US tariffs will not prevent the Trump administration from imposing them if it believes they are legitimate to protect national security, warned Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross.
Europe fixed on US decision at next G20
An unfinalized report, containing its recommendations on the amount of taxes and the countries concerned, has been given to the tenant of the White House who will render his decision soon. According to the German press, the European Union would be targeted by these taxes that could be announced next week after the G20 in Argentina.
If that were the case, it would put an end to the fragile truce concluded between Donald Trump and the President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker at the end of July.
The European counterattack is ready
During a visit to Washington in mid-November, EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström said Europe was ready to retaliate.
"The European Union has a list of customs taxes ready if the Americans impose taxes on cars," she said while recalling that under the terms of the agreement between Donald Trump and Jean-Claude Juncker, The imposition of new taxes is suspended as long as the discussions continue.
The Commissioner acknowledged, however, that Europe had "received no badurances" that it would be well exempted from such new taxes. The European Union is the largest exporter of cars to the United States with Canada, Mexico and Japan.
(With AFP)
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