White House says President Trump will announce auto tariffs today
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said U.S. President Donald Trump will announce tariffs on auto imports at 4 p.m. Wednesday in the Oval Office.
Leavitt did not offer details about how the tariffs would affect the North American automobile industry, which is integrated among Canada, Mexico and the United States.
It’s also not clear how the tariffs would apply to vehicles made under the terms of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement on trade, negotiated during the first Trump administration.
Trump has said that he would implement industry-specific duties on the automobile sector at some point during his escalating trade war with the world. His on-again, off-again trade war has caused uncertainty in markets and the automobile sector.
Shares in General Motors fell roughly 1.7% in Wednesday afternoon trading. Ford’s stock was down roughly 1.5%.
Trump previously said he would announce auto tariffs on April 2 — the same day he plans to implement what he calls "reciprocal" tariffs by raising U.S. duties to match the tax rates that other countries charge on imports.
Trump cited a conversation with the Big Three automakers — Stellantis, Ford and General Motors — when he imposed a partial pause on economy-wide tariffs on Canada and Mexico earlier this month.
It’s not clear whether those sweeping across-the-board tariffs are set to return next week after Trump said Tuesday that Canada and Mexico had "stepped it up." The White House has not responded to a request for a timeline.
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Trump did move forward earlier this month with 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports to the U.S., including Canadian products, which increased concern among automobile makers.
American Automotive Policy Council president Matt Blunt said earlier this month that revoking duty exemptions for Canada and Mexico, and extending tariffs to auto parts with steel and aluminum, "will add significant costs for automakers, suppliers and consumers."
Trump's attacks on the North American auto industry have been a hot topic for party leaders in the early days of the Canadian federal election.
Prime Minister Mark Carney posted on social media earlier Wednesday that auto parts cross the Canada-U.S. border six times on average before final assembly, adding that "in a trade crisis, that’s a vulnerability."
"It’s time to build more cars right here at home with an All-In-Canada auto manufacturing network," the Liberal leader posted.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said his message to Trump after the latest tariff announcement was to "knock it off."
"These tariffs are simply causing chaos in markets. They are dislocating workers on both sides of the border." Poilievre said at a campaign stop in Montmagny, Que. "Stop threatening Canada with tariffs. Stop talking about our sovereignty."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 26, 2025.
— With files from The Associated Press
