WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump has threatened to impose a heftyimport duty on European cars if the European Union retaliates against hissteep tariffs on aluminium and steel.

Earlier this week, Trump officially announced tariffs of 25 per cent onsteel and 10 per cent on aluminium, despite major opposition from his ownparty, triggering a possible trade war with China and Europe.

The EU threatened an “arsenal” of retaliatory measures when the tariffswere first proposed, including imposing import tariffs on products made inred districts.

Trump threatened to tax European-made cars if they retaliated against thealuminium and steel tariffs withlink>withtheir own taxes like Harley Davidson motorcycles, bourbon and blue jeans.

“The European Union, wonderful countries who treat the US very badly ontrade, are complaining about the tariffs on steel and aluminium,” Trumpsaid in a tweet Saturday.

“If they drop their horrific barriers and tariffs on US products going in,we will likewise drop ours. Big deficit. If not, we tax cars etc. FAIR!”Trump said in a tweet.

During a joint White House news conference with visiting Swedish PrimeMinister Stefan Lofven, the European Union has been particularly tough onthe US.