The US Commerce Department has sent a report to President Donald Trump that could impose steep tariffs on imported automobiles and car parts, provoking a sharp backlash from the auto industry and the European Union.
US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross submitted his recommendations to Trump, the department said in a statement on Sunday, without disclosing any details.
The report’s purpose was to determine whether imported vehicles pose a national security threat to the US and it had to be completed by Sunday.
Trump has 90 days to decide whether to take action on the report. Under “Section 232” of the Trade Expansion Act, the US president can impose tariffs based on a recommendation from the US Commerce Secretary.
Section 232 is the same provision the Trump administration used last year to slap tariffs on steel and aluminum.
The auto industry has warned that tariffs of up to 25 percent on millions of imported cars and parts would add…