Trump says the rates are "the best"

"Rates are the biggest!" Mr. Trump said early Tuesday. "Either a country that has treated the United States unfairly on trade is negotiating a fair deal, or it is hit by tariffs." It's as simple as that – and everyone is talking! Remember, we're the "piggy bank" which is stolen … All will be well! "

The President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, must arrive in Washington for talks on Wednesday. The White House said the two countries will focus on "a wide range of priorities, including foreign and security policy, counterterrorism, energy security and economic growth".

Last week, Mr. Trump threatened with EU officials this week does not give up what he sees as a fair auto-trade deal. Mr Trump recently stated that he considered the EU as an "enemy" of trade. Mr Trump has repeatedly complained that the EU imposes tariffs of 10% on car imports, compared to 2.5% for the United States. He refuses to mention the US 25% levies on vans, compared with 10% in Europe. "Countries that have treated us unfairly for years have all come to Washington to negotiate," Trump wrote in a second tweet Tuesday morning, without specifying which countries. "It should have been many years ago but, as they say, better late than never!"

The escalation of a trade dispute between the United States and some of its closest allies has provoked reprisals and lawsuits. Earlier this year, it imposed tariffs of 10% on aluminum imports and 25% on steel imports from Canada, Mexico and the EU

. The president also imposed duties on $ 34 billion of imports of electronic products, machinery and other products from China, and an additional $ 16 billion is expected in the coming weeks. He also said that he would assess the rights of an additional $ 200 billion on a range of consumer products. On Tuesday, the National Retail Federation and 65 other business groups warned the chief trade negotiator of the administration that the trade dispute would hurt US companies, workers and consumers

. Chinese imports will not have the effect that the administration wants, "the coalition wrote to the US Trade Representative.

Robert Lighthizer.

"If the goal is to open the markets for US goods and services abroad, the use of tariffs goes against this goal."

Mr. Trump has repeatedly threatened tariffs on imported automobiles and auto parts if European leaders do not make trade concessions. The threat also weighed on negotiations with Canada and Mexico on the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Last week, Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross said that the administration had not yet decided tariffs for reasons of national security. His comments were made Thursday at the opening of a hearing in Washington during which all but one of 43 participants who testified ruled against car rates.