Trump Backs Off On E.U. Auto Tariffs But Risks Remain For Buyers, Ports
Key takeaways
- Auto Tariffs But Risks Remain For Buyers, Ports By Ken Roberts,
- Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights.
- If the president follows through, it’s bad news for car buyers, particularly high-end vebicles, at a time when the average price of a U.S. vehicle passed $50,000 last year.
Policy Trump Backs Off On E.U. Auto Tariffs But Risks Remain For Buyers, Ports By Ken Roberts,
Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Two decades analyzing U.S. trade data by port, country, export, import Follow Author May 09, 2026, 05:00am EDTPresident Trump has threatened that all passenger vehicle imports from the European Union will face a 25% tariff starting next week.
If the president follows through, it’s bad news for car buyers, particularly high-end vebicles, at a time when the average price of a U.S. vehicle passed $50,000 last year. It’s bad news for the U.S. seaports dependent on the fees assessed on the shipments, particularly in Georgia, California, Florida and Maryland. It’s bad news for the E.U. manufacturers and their workers, including not only in Germany but particularly in Slovakia.