I’m pretty sure a bunch of “American” cars are built in Mexico.
And Canada.
President Elon is so happy
It does specifically say “foreign MADE”, so if they are built here, they don’t apply. Biden actually did something similar and I don’t have an issue with this except it doesn’t account for companies like NYC shipping 90% complete product here and just assembling the last 10% to skirt taxes.
Congrats on paying 250% more per US made car, given that the average “US made car” crosses borders 10-15x
The article says this also applies to auto parts. Many of which are made outside the US. This means that even if you buy a car from a US auto maker, tariffs will apply. This also means if you already bought a foreign car, that your insurance will likely increase. This helps no one but Elon who I hate to admit, made the smart move of prioritizing US manufacturing for Tesla. Something I think more companies in the US should do, but here we are.
One of the big things I learned during the pandemic… Vehicle wiring harnesses largely come from Ukraine.
So when Russia invaded, new car supply tanked. People were unable to return lease vehicles because there wasn’t enough new stock to trade in for. Completed vehicles sat unsold because the wiring couldn’t be completed.
Sort of, but not really. The companies have a lot of leeway in court to argue what constitutes a “part”, and that’s why these laws generally don’t have the impact they seem to have from the headlines.
It also applies to parts, not just finished vehicles. That’s one of the most impactful parts of it. It’s specifically to stop the “car is 99% built when it is shipped in, and American workers just tighten a few bolts to call it finished” scenario that you described.
I think this may be a “broken clock is right twice a day” scenario, because it seems to actually be targeting the methods that auto manufacturers used to skirt taxes.
It’s time to start negotiating the renewal of the Canada-Mexico free trade agreement without inviting the US.
AND PARTS! That’s a big addition/escalation to this.
Moron.
Official links on this:
“The 25% tariff will be applied to imported passenger vehicles (sedans, SUVs, crossovers, minivans, cargo vans) and light trucks, as well as key automobile parts (engines, transmissions, powertrain parts, and electrical components), with processes to expand tariffs on additional parts if necessary.”
“The COVID-19 pandemic exposed critical vulnerabilities and choke points in global supply chains, undermining our ability to maintain a resilient domestic industrial base.”
That’s partially true, it wasn’t the pandemic, it was losing all the Ukranian vehicle wiring harnesses at the same time as the pandemic.
"TARIFFS WORK: Studies have repeatedly shown that tariffs can be an effective tool for reducing or eliminating threats to impair U.S. national security and achieving economic and strategic objectives.
A 2024 study on the effects of President Trump’s tariffs in his first term found that they “strengthened the U.S. economy” and “led to significant reshoring” in industries like manufacturing and steel production."
Hmmm… if only there was a source for that…
"Trump imposed tariffs on solar panels and washing machines at the start of 2018, moves that might have pushed up prices in those sectors even though they also overlapped with plans to open washing machine plants in Tennessee and South Carolina.
His administration also levied tariffs on steel and aluminum, including against allies. He then increased tariffs on China, leading to a trade conflict and a limited 2020 agreement that failed to produce the promised Chinese purchases of U.S. goods.
The Federal Reserve kept inflation roughly on target, but factory construction spending never jumped in a way that suggested a lasting gain in manufacturing jobs. Separate economic research found the tariff war with China did nothing economically for the communities hurt by offshoring, but it did help Trump and Republicans in those communities politically.
When Trump first became president in 2017, the federal government collected $34.6 billion in customs, duties and fees. That sum more than doubled under Trump to $70.8 billion in 2019, according to Office of Management and Budget records.
While that sum might seem meaningful, it was relatively small compared with the overall economy. America’s gross domestic product is now $29.3 trillion, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The total tariffs collected in the United States would equal less than 0.3% of GDP."
Too bad Trump and his supporters are allergic to math, numbers, and logic.
Looks like trump cares about the environment after all.
I’ll take whatever wins I can get.
Nice. Ban cars!!! Big win for humanity and the planet.
