Trump trade war goes global as he slaps 25% tariffs on aluminium and steel with fears for UK industry as EU hits back

DONALD Trump has extended his punishing trade war to now impact on the entire world as fears grow for key UK industries.

The US president has declared that he will be implementing a 25 per cent tariff on all steel and aluminum imports entering the country, prompting the EU to swiftly respond with retaliatory measures.

United States President Donald Trump climbs out of a Tesla Model S on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C. on March 11, 2025. President Trump has said he will buy a Tesla to support Tesla and Elon Musk after recent attacks on Tesla charging stations and calls for boycotts of Tesla products. Credit: Samuel Corum / Pool via CNP. 11 Mar 2025 Pictured: United States President Donald Trump speaks in front of a group of Tesla vehicles with Elon Musk, Tesla CEO and Senior Advisor to the President of the United States, on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C. on March 11, 2025. President Trump has said he will buy a Tesla to support Tesla and Elon Musk after recent attacks on Tesla charging stations and calls for boycotts of Tesla products. Credit: Samuel Corum / Pool via CNP. Photo credit: Samuel Corum - Pool via CNP / MEGA TheMegaAgency.com sales@mega.global
Donald Trump has extended his punishing trade war to now impact on the entire worldCredit: The Mega Agency
Welder cutting a railroad track with a torch.
The US President announced he is placing 25 per cent tariffs on all steel and aluminium imports coming in to the USCredit: Getty
Ursula von der Leyen speaking at a press conference.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has already hit back at Trump’s tariffs saying the EU ‘must act’ to protect consumers and businessCredit: Getty

The European Union has announced a huge two-stage retaliation against the US which will cover €26 billion in EU exports.

From April 1, the European Commission says it will reimpose tariffs in response to Trump’s global tariffs.

This will have a direct impact on many iconic American brands such as Harley-Davidson.

Then from mid-April, further countermeasures will be applied if Eu member states all approve.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said today: “We deeply regret this measure.

“Tariffs are taxes. They are bad for business, and even worse for consumers.

“These tariffs are disrupting supply chains. They bring uncertainty for the economy.

Jobs are at stake. Prices will go up. In Europe and in the United States.

“The European Union must act to protect consumers and business.”

They added that any decision can always be reversed if the Trump administration is ready to “find a negotiated solution”.

Trump’s tariffs trigger a trade war that ‘will hurt the US economy’

Trump’s tariffs are also set to have a huge impact on the UK steel industry.

They have already warned the decision to impose a transatlantic trade war “couldn’t come at a worse time”.

The British government has already said they don’t want to retaliate and would rather come to an amicable solution.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced last week that tit-for-tat tariffs only risk slowing down the whole global economy.

She said she didn’t think tariffs “serves anyone well”.

Adding: “We don’t want to see tariffs. I will continue to make the case with all my international counterparts for free and open trade.”

President Trump initially only targeted Mexico, Canada and China with his trade war before opening them up to the world.

This initiative is aimed at safeguarding the US manufacturing industry and enhancing employment prospects by increasing the cost and reducing the appeal of internationally manufactured goods.

It will also threaten to make the cost of many things such as cars more expensive.

Recently, Trump issued a warning to Canada, cautioning them against imposing their own 25 per cent tariffs on electricity in three American states, accompanied by the threat of severe economic consequences.

The brewing trade war between the two neighbouring countries deepened this week after Trump doubled the 25 per cent levy on Canadian steel and aluminium.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford speaking at a podium with a sign reading "Canada is not for sale" in English and French.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford warned he ‘will not hesitate to increase’ the levies on electricity for Americans
President Trump and Elon Musk standing by a Tesla.
Trump’s decision came after he spent the day with pal Elon MuskCredit: The Mega Agency
President Donald Trump exiting a red Tesla.
Trump was testing out the Tesla Model S with Musk at the White HouseCredit: The Mega Agency

It came in response to the Ontario government’s threat of an electricity surcharge.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford soon said he was temporarily suspending his province’s planned purchase on electricity exported to the US after Trump’s fiery response.

Ford made a U-turn on the threats after US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick agreed to go back to the table on trade talks.

Ford said that Canadian delegates will travel to Washington within the next day or two to meet with Lutnick.

Trump’s seismic trade war came as he spent the day on the White House lawn trying out Teslas with right-hand man Elon Musk.

Musk brought an entire fleet of the electric vehicles to let the president have his pick of the motors.

Trump’s support for his advisor comes after Tesla faced backlash and vandalism over Musk’s new role in the Oval Office.

As the head of the brand new Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), Musk has slashed federal jobs and budgets in Trump’s first few months of his second term.

Growing fears and concerns over Doge’s plans have sparked a series of attacks on Tesla across the country, including vandalism at Tesla showrooms and charging stations.

Tesla stock has lost more than half its stock since peaking in December – wiping out over $800 billion from the company’s total value, according to CNBC.

Why has Trump hit China, Canada, and Mexico with tariffs?

DONALD Trump has imposed a 25 per cent tariff on Chinese imports to the US and has threatened even bigger tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminium. But, why did he propose the levies?

China:

  • Trump believes China has not done enough to stop the production of chemicals used to make the drug fentanyl.
  • China serves as a major supplier of auto parts to the US.
  • Phones and computers along with other key electronic devices were also in the top imports from China last year, according to Commerce Department Data.
  • In 2023, the US imported around $427 billion worth of products from China in total, according to the US Census Bureau.
  • Data reveals that 78 per cent of all smartphones imported from the US came from China.
  • Trump’s tariff threat has sparked fears of price rises for fashion items and toys.
  • Beijing has responded by outlining its own tariffs on American goods, sparking fears of an all-out trade war between the two powerhouses.

Canada:

  • Trump doubled his initial 25 per cent tariff proposal on Canadian steel and aluminium after Ontario Premier Doug Ford countered by charging 25 per cent more for the electricity his province provides to about 1.5 million Americans in Minnesota, New York, and Michigan.
  • Ford, on the other hand, instructed Ontario’s Independent Electricity System to implement a $7-per-megawatt-per-hour fee on all power exports to the three US states.
  • Trump ignited a trade war with Canada and Mexico during his first days in office as part of a campaign promise to stop the flow of fentanyl and illegal immigrants into the United States.
  • He said both countries had not done enough to halt the drug flow and the mass influx of migrants from reaching US soil.

Mexico:

  • Mexico has managed to twice postpone Trump’s tariffs on Mexican goods.
  • On February 1, Trump signed an executive order to impose tariffs on imports from Canada, Mexico, and China.
  • But, on February 3, Trump agreed to pause the levies against Canada and Mexico after the countries took steps to appease Trump’s concerns on border security and drug trafficking.
  • Trump credited Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum’s progress on border security and drug smuggling as a reason for the pause on the levies.
  • Still, Trump has maintained that on April 2 the US will begin imposing reciprocal tariffs on all its trading partners, including Mexico.
President Trump speaks near a Tesla, holding a price list.
Trump holding notes on the pricing of Tesla vehicles on the South Lawn of the White HouseCredit: Getty
Donald Trump and Elon Musk in a red Tesla.
President Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk speaking to the press inside a Tesla Model S at the White House
You May Also Like

Woman Loses Inheritance Dispute Over Mother’s £420,000 Home After Claiming It for Emotional Support Dogs

A woman who took her sisters to court in a bid to…

German City Centre Evacuated as 20,000 People Ordered Out Due to Discovery of Three Unexploded WW2 Bombs.

UP to 20,000 people have been forced to evacuate a historic European…

“Expecting more tragedies like Jodey’s”: A mother whose disabled daughter ended her life due to benefit cuts pleads with Labour to reconsider reducing welfare support.

The warning comes from the mother of a woman who was confined…

Woman from infamous American Airlines incident starts new website featuring unedited content 2 years later

A woman who gained notoriety for a mid-flight outburst, during which she…

Florida Man Allegedly Raped 8-Year-Old Boy Who Tested Positive for HIV, According to Police

Florida police arrested a man on Friday for sexually abusing an 8-year-old…

A man from North Carolina purposely caused a head-on collision in an effort to harm his wife

A North Carolina man faces multiple charges after police say he deliberately…

Father Missing And Wanted for Murder After Three Sisters Found Dead Following ‘Planned Visit’

Three Washington children who were last seen with their father duringa planned…

Discovery of bloody handprints by bodies of 3 missing girls slain during visit with father Travis Decker as details of their death surface

TWO bloody handprints were found on the truck of the dad who…

New Information: Damien McDaniel, Responsible for 18 Deaths in 14 Months

Birmingham, Alabama, has experienced a killing spree unlike any before. In the…

“Wife and 5 Children of Boulder Suspect Mohamed Soliman Reportedly Arrested After Testifying About Flamethrower Attack Injuring 12”

The spouse and all five offspring of the migrant linked to throwing…

Who is the famous parent of 20-year-old Nepo baby, who resembles her A-list mother at the How To Train Your Dragon premiere? Can you guess?

A nepo baby looked the spitting image of her A-list mother as…

Soldier Found Dead in Barracks for 3 Weeks, Senior Officers Share Humiliating Videos in WhatsApp Group

A SOLDIER found dead in his barracks three weeks after he vanished…