WASHINGTON: Donald Trump has warned countries of steep tariff hikes if they attempt to exploit a recent ruling by the US Supreme Court that struck down key import duties, as tensions over trade escalated with both China and the European Union reacting sharply.
In a social media post on Monday, the US president said any country seeking to “play games” with the court decision — particularly those he accused of taking advantage of the United States for years — would face significantly higher tariffs than previously agreed.
China, however, urged Washington to withdraw what it described as unilateral tariff measures, warning that trade conflicts benefit no one. China’s commerce ministry said it was conducting a comprehensive assessment of the ruling’s impact and called on the US to lift restrictions on its trading partners, adding that protectionism “leads nowhere”.
Meanwhile, lawmakers in the European bloc announced plans to freeze progress on a major trade agreement with Washington following the court decision. Negotiators in the European Parliament are expected to meet to formally suspend approval of the deal, which had included provisions to remove tariffs on US industrial goods.