(NewsNation) — Ahead of tariffs and retaliatory tariffs going into place Wednesday, the heads of auto companies Ford, General Motors and Stellantis are making a last-minute effort to appeal to the White House, NewsNation has learned.
The powerful auto execs are all making a last-minute push to get effective carve-outs on some less expensive auto materials needed for automobile construction.
Some effective carve-outs for the automotive industry have already been made. Last month, a pause on automotive tariffs was introduced.
However, the president has repeated that grace periods will end and tariffs will come down across the board April 2.
Reciprocal tariffs are a chief cornerstone of the president’s economic vision to once again level the playing field regarding international trade and commerce. For months, he has accused many other nations of ripping the United States off.
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Notwithstanding this belief, he told reporters Monday that he intends to be generous to foreign nations.
“The numbers will be lower than what they’ve been charging us, and in some cases, may be substantially lower,” Trump said.
“But we sort of have a world obligation, perhaps. But we’re going to be very nice. Relatively speaking, we’re going to be very kind.”
Not everyone sees it that way. The European Union, among others, has promised to introduce retaliatory tariffs of its own.
“Europe has not started this confrontation. We do not necessarily want to retaliate, but if it is necessary, we have a strong plan to retaliate, and we will use it,” Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, said this week.
