Trump trade war heats up as Canada, EU retaliate
The president imposes 25% steel and aluminum tariffs in an effort to revive US manufacturing, though it may drive up prices for Americans instead


What happened
President Donald Trump Wednesday imposed blanket 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, prompting immediate retaliatory measures from Canada and the European Union. Trump said Wednesday afternoon that he would "of course" respond to the EU countermeasures with more tariffs. "Whatever they charge us with, we're charging them," he said.
Who said what
EU officials said Wednesday they were hitting back with equivalent tariffs only after Trump expressed no interest in negotiating an off-ramp. "Tariffs are taxes. They are bad for business, and even worse for consumers," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said. "Jobs are at stake, prices up, nobody needs that." Britain, Australia, Mexico and Brazil said they would not immediately retaliate over Trump's import taxes on steel, aluminum and "hundreds of downstream products, from nuts and bolts to bulldozer blades and soda cans," Reuters said.
Trump "risks igniting a global trade war" and juicing U.S. inflation, CNN said. But it has been "hard for Europeans — and other American trading partners — to decide how to respond" to his "unfolding trade conflict," The New York Times said, especially since it isn't clear what Trump's "goals are," which tariffs will "ultimately be retained," who "to talk to in the Trump administration" about trade or "how decisions are being made."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
What next?
It's possible Trump is right his "erratic tariff policies" and budget cuts will result in "unexpected gains" and revived U.S. manufacturing "on the other side" of the resulting "period of havoc," but "there isn't much evidence" to support that, The Wall Street Journal said. Instead, his economic theories "edge close to the 'liquidationist'" policies "most infamously associated with former President Herbert Hoover's Treasury secretary who advised him to let the economy fall."
Canada's retaliatory 25% tariffs on $20.6 billion in U.S. aluminum, steel, computer, sporting goods and other imports take effect Thursday. The EU's 50% tariffs on American whisky, motorcycles and other politically sensitive goods start April 1, with more levies following a few weeks later.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Rafi Schwartz has worked as a politics writer at The Week since 2022, where he covers elections, Congress and the White House. He was previously a contributing writer with Mic focusing largely on politics, a senior writer with Splinter News, a staff writer for Fusion's news lab, and the managing editor of Heeb Magazine, a Jewish life and culture publication. Rafi's work has appeared in Rolling Stone, GOOD and The Forward, among others.
-
How will the new tax deductions on auto loans work?
the explainer Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act introduced a tax deduction on auto loan interest — but eligibility for the tax break is limited
-
Is Trump actually going to prosecute Obama for 'treason'?
Today's Big Question Or is this just a distraction from the Jeffrey Epstein scandal?
-
5 best movie sequels of all time
The Week Recommends The second time is only sometimes as good as the first
-
'Spending is what card issuers are hoping you will do'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Trump executive order targets homeless
Speed Read It will now be easier for states and cities to remove homeless people from the streets
-
Columbia pays $200M to settle with White House
Speed Read The Trump administration accused the school of failing to protect its Jewish students amid pro-Palestinian protests
-
Florida judge and DOJ make Epstein trouble for Trump
Speed Read The Trump administration's request to release grand jury transcripts from the Epstein investigation was denied
-
Trump attacks Obama as Epstein furor mounts
Speed Read The Trump administration accused the Obama administration of 'treasonous' behavior during the 2016 election
-
Deportations: The growing backlash
Feature New poll numbers show declining support for Trump's deportation crackdown
-
Is Stephen Colbert's 'Late Show' cancellation an omen of something worse?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION CBS said its decision to end the talk show was strictly business. But the timing and nature of the announcement has some observers wondering if there's more at play behind the scenes.
-
Trump administration releases MLK files
Speed Read Newly released documents on the 1968 assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. did not hold any new revelations, King historians said