US President Donald Trump´s administration sees car imports as a threat to national security by weakening the US auto industry, which could open the door to new customs duties, an industry source told AFP on Thursday.
Trump requested the end of May 2018 from the US Department of Commerce to conduct an in-depth investigation into car imports "to determine their impact on national security."
To protect American industries, Trump is threatening to impose additional customs duties, which could amount to 25 percent on car imports and equipment, a blow to European automakers, especially Germany.
The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the findings were "positive" about whether imported cars posed a threat to national security. The Ministry of Commerce is expected to submit its report to Trump by Sunday at the latest, the source said.
A source close to the administration said the report would be handed over to Trump "before the end of the maximum term."
The president will have 90 days to decide whether to impose new tariffs on car imports.
In March 2018, on the basis of the threat to national security, Trump imposed additional duties on imports of steel and aluminum, ignoring frequent warnings from allies, first of all the European Union, on the dangers of a trade war whose outcome is unknown.
If Trump makes a similar decision on car imports, the first automakers will be German automakers (Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen and BMW).
