Europe warns Trump: We will respond in kind on new tariffs 'within an hour'

Europe will not hesitate to retaliate if Donald Trump imposes any new tariffs, the European Commission and EU national leaders have said, after the US president announced another escalation of his aggressive trade policy at the weekend.

- Jon Henley

Yesterday Trump said he would announce 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports that would affect "everybody," adding that reciprocal tariffs on all countries that tax imports from the US would follow today or tomorrow.

The European Commission said yesterday it would act to protect EU interests, but had not so far received any official notification of additional US tariffs on EU goods and would not react to "broad announcements" without details or written clarification.

"The EU sees no justification for the imposition of tariffs on its exports. We will react to protect the interests of European businesses, workers and consumers from unjustified measures," the bloc's executive body said.

In general, the imposition of tariffs "would be unlawful and economically counterproductive," it said, adding: "Tariffs are essentially taxes. By imposing tariffs, the US would be taxing its own citizens, raising costs for business and fuelling inflation."

A European Commission spokesperson later added that the reciprocal tariffs Washington was proposing were also unjustified. "We believe that none of the potential measures outlined by the US administration to date are justified," they said.