Donald Trump has reignited a transatlantic trade clash, tearing up part of his tariff deal with the European Union and ordering a sharp increase in US duties on European cars and lorries.

The move marks a sudden break with an agreement Trump struck with EU leaders in Scotland last summer. Reports indicate he accused Brussels of failing to move fast enough to ratify the deal, then used the May Day bank holiday to unveil a new pressure tactic: raising tariffs on those vehicle imports from 15% to 25% starting next week. The timing caught Brussels off guard and puts a fresh strain on one of the world’s biggest trading relationships.

Trump is not just revisiting an old trade fight. He is raising the cost of delay and daring the EU to respond.

The immediate target sits in plain view. Cars and lorries carry political weight, industrial value, and symbolic force in any US-EU trade dispute. A jump to 25% could hit pricing, squeeze exporters, and unsettle companies that depend on tightly linked supply chains. Sources suggest the administration wants to force faster movement from European officials, but the decision also risks inviting retaliation or freezing wider negotiations.

Key Facts

  • Trump says he is tearing up part of the tariff deal reached with EU leaders last summer.
  • US tariffs on cars and lorries imported from the EU will rise from 15% to 25% next week.
  • He accuses the European Union of failing to comply and taking too long to ratify the agreement.
  • The announcement landed late on the May Day bank holiday, catching Brussels by surprise.

This escalation matters beyond the headline number. Trade disputes between Washington and Brussels rarely stay confined to one sector for long. Once tariffs rise on high-profile goods, pressure builds across manufacturing, logistics, consumer markets, and politics. Even without immediate countermeasures from Europe, the message has already landed: the White House stands ready to use tariffs again as a blunt negotiating weapon.

What happens next will shape whether this remains a targeted warning or grows into a broader economic standoff. EU officials now face a choice between accelerating their response, challenging Trump’s claims, or preparing their own measures. For businesses and consumers, the stakes stretch past diplomacy. This fight will test how durable last year’s deal really was — and how quickly trade peace can unravel when political patience runs out.