WHITE HOUSE - The United States is escalating trans-Atlantic and North American trade tensions, imposing a 25 percent tariff on steel imports and a 10 percent tariff on aluminum imports from the European Union, Canada and Mexico beginning on Friday.
The U.S. also negotiated quotas or volume limits on other countries, such as South Korea, Argentina, Australia and Brazil, instead of tariffs, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross also told reporters Thursday by telephone.
China's foreign ministry said on Friday all countries should protect the normal trade order, when asked about U.S. decision.
President Donald Trump said Thursday that the days of the U.S. being taken advantage of in trade deals "are over'" in a harshly worded statement responding to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's criticism of new steel and aluminum tariffs. He intensified his criticism of Canada Friday for what he says are the country's "highly restrictive" trade practices.
Canada has treated our Agricultural business and Farmers very poorly for a very long period of time. Highly restrictive on Trade! They must open their markets and take down their trade barriers! They report a really high surplus on trade with us. Do Timber & Lumber in U.S.?
Trump has repeatedly said measures such as tariffs are necessary to protect American jobs and industries in key manufacturing sectors.
"The president's actions are about protecting American steel, American aluminum," a White House spokesman, Raj Shah, said on Fox News. "They're critical for national security."
But the negative reaction from some of America's most important strategic allies has been quick and fierce.
European Union Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said shortly after the tariffs took effect they were illegal and the 28-nation bloc would initiate a settlement dispute case with the World Trade Organization.
"We can do so. We have the right to do so. I think we must do so, as well, to show that we cannot just take these tariffs and stand silent and we do not accept these kind of imposed illegal tariffs," said Malmstrom.
Without elaborating, Malmstrom also said the EU would explore "rebalancing measures," which typically are retaliatory actions.
Trudeau called the tariffs "totally unacceptable" and vowed retaliation.
"This decision is not only unlawful, but it is a mistake in many respects," said French President Emmanuel Macron, warning that "economic nationalism leads to war."
France's finance minister, Bruno Le Maire, who met Ross earlier on Thursday, said the U.S. shouldn't see global trade like the Wild West or the "."
On Friday, the White House said Trump and Macron discussed the U.S. trade imbalance during a conversation a day earlier.
"President Trump underscored the need to rebalance trade with Europe," the White House said.
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said the U.S. move marked "a bad day for world trade."
The retaliatory tariffs from the Europeans are expected to target several billion dollars' worth of American goods, including such iconic American products as Harley Davidson motorcycles and Levi's jeans, as well as Kentucky bourbon and Tennessee whiskey.
Ross, in Paris, interviewed on CNBC after the announcement, brushed off the retaliation saying, "It's a tiny, tiny fraction of 1 percent" of trade.
Ross, a banker known for restructuring failed companies prior to joining Trump's Cabinet, also predicted America's trading partners "will get over this in due course."
"The United States is taking on the whole world in trade and it's not going to go well," predicted Simon Lester, trade policy analyst at the libertarian Cato Institute.
The action is also not popular with some members of Congress, including those from Trump's own party, whose states are dependent on exports.
"Imposing steel and aluminum tariffs on our most important trading partners is the wrong approach and represents an abuse of authority intended only for national security purposes," said Bob Corker of Tennessee, who is the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
"You don't treat allies the same way you treat opponents," Republican Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska said on Twitter. "Blanket protectionism is a big part of why we had a Great Depression. 'Make America Great Again' shouldn't mean 'Make America 1929 Again.'"
Trade is great for America. It%27s great for American families. Trade creates jobs & lowers prices for American families. Trade wars do the opposite. No trade war has ever worked. We don%27t want to make America 1930 again.