5/17/2019

AUTO INDUSTRY/EU/JAPAN/TARIFFS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump on Friday [5-17-19] delayed a decision to slap duties or quota restrictions on imports of automobiles and auto parts, but said he still has the right to impose them in another six months as his administration pursues trade deals with the European Union and Japan…Trump has been considering hitting the EU, Japan and other foreign auto suppliers with a 25 percent tariff under a law that allows him to impose trade restrictions on the basis of national security. By delaying his decision for six months, Trump avoids launching another damaging trade war with the EU and Japan at the same time that financial markets are already spooked by his escalating trade fight with China. However, he now has positioned himself for another decision on auto tariffs in November, one year before voters go to the polls to vote on whether to give him a second term in office. Imposing national security tariffs on auto and auto-part imports would parallel his controversial decision last year to put duties on steel and aluminum imports from around the world using the same law.”

Doug Palmer and Adam Behsudi, “Trump holds off on auto tariffs, but threat still looms,” Politico, May 17, 2019 5:07 pm