“Unjustified” 25 percent tariffs on steel and aluminum “will not go unanswered,” says European Commission chief.
BRUSSELS — European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen vowed on Tuesday to take “firm and proportionate” measures after U.S. President Donald Trump announced tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum overnight.
“Tariffs are taxes — bad for business, worse for consumers,” von der Leyen said in a statement.
The “unjustified” 25 percent tariffs on steel, aluminum and reciprocal tariffs on other products “will not go unanswered,” von der Leyen said.
Trump on Monday expanded his steel and aluminum tariffs to cover all imports, effectively canceling earlier tariff deals with the European Union, the United Kingdom, Japan and others.
“It’s a big deal. This is the beginning of making America rich again,” Trump said on Monday night.
This story is being updated.
