President Trump threatens 20 percent tariffs on EU cars

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is threatening to slap a 20 percent tariff on cars from the European Union.

In a tweet Friday, President Trump complains about EU trade barriers and vowed "if these Tariffs and Barriers are not soon broken down and removed, we will be placing a 20% Tariff on all of their cars coming into the U.S. Build them here!"

The EU has just slapped tariffs on $3.4 billion in U.S. products, ranging from bourbon to motorcycles, in retaliation for President Trump's decision to tax imported steel and tariffs.

President Trump has already directed U.S. trade officials to study whether auto imports pose a threat to national security that would justify hitting them with tariffs or quotas.