President Trump announces 25% tariff on all imported cars

US President Donald Trump has announced a new 25% tariff on all imported cars. Despite the dramatic story everyone in Washington was still talking about the secrity breach by his team.

Signing an executive order, Mr Trump said the tax would kick in on 2 April – what he has called “liberation day”.

This is when all his retaliatory import tariffs take effect.

Speaking late on Wednesday, Mr Trump said: “This will continue to spur growth. We’ll effectively be charging a 25% tariff.”

However, the tariffs could be complicated as even American car makers source components from around the world – meaning they could also face higher costs and lower sales.

During his second term, Mr Trump has used tariffs frequently as a trade weapon with allies and enemies alike.

He cited plans from South Korean car maker Hyundai to build a $5.8bn (£4.5bn) steel plant in Louisiana as evidence the economic measures would bring back manufacturing jobs.

Despite Mr Trump’s optimism, shares in General Motors fell by about 3% in Wednesday afternoon trading.

Ford’s stock was up slightly, but shares in Stellantis, the owner of Jeep and Chrysler, dropped nearly 4%.

American firms rely on Canadian parts

American and foreign firms already with domestic plants still rely on Canada, Mexico and other countries for parts and finished vehicles – meaning prices could increase and sales decline as new factories take time to build.

Tariffs are a key part of Mr Trump’s efforts to reshape global trade relations.

He plans to impose what he calls “reciprocal” taxes on 2 April that would match tariffs and sales taxes levied by other nations.

He has already placed a 20% tax on all imports from China, over its role in the production of fentanyl.

Similarly, he placed 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada, with a lower 10% tariff on Canadian energy products.

Signal security breach

As Donald Trump was keen to talk up his tariffs, diverting attention away from the issue at hand, the rest of Washington was discussing the security breach, which President Trump continues to ignore.

A senior journalist for the magazine The Atlantic, Jeffrey Goldberg, was added to a Signal group chat that included some of the Trump administration’s most senior defence and intelligence officials, that rocked the Capitol.