Theresa May tells Donald Trump of her 'deep concern' over EU steel tariffs row

The two leaders spoke in a phone call on Sunday
PA Wire/PA Images
Martin Coulter26 April 2018
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Theresa May has told Donald Trump of her "deep concern" regarding his plans to introduce tariffs on US steel imports.

The Prime Minister spoke with Mr Trump in a phone call on Sunday, telling him that "multilateral action" was the only means of solving the ongoing dispute between him and the EU.

The two leaders also discussed the future of Syria, highlighting the need for humanitarian action by the Assad regime and its ally Russia.

A Downing Street spokesman said: "The Prime Minister raised our deep concern at the president's forthcoming announcement on steel and aluminium tariffs, noting that multilateral action was the only way to resolve the problem of global overcapacity in all parties' interests.

The pair discussed Russia's forthcoming role in Syria 
Getty Images

"They [also] discussed Syria...[and] agreed it was a humanitarian catastrophe, and that the overwhelming responsibility for the heartbreaking human suffering lay with the Syrian regime and Russia, as the regime's main backer.

"They agreed that Russia and others with influence over the Syrian regime must act now to cease their campaign of violence and to protect civilians."

The US President faced global backlash after he said steel imports would face a 25 per cent tariff and aluminium 10 per cent.

Mr Juncker warned Mr Trump of retaliatory action
AFP/Getty Images

Australia's trade minister Steven Ciobo said the tariffs would distort global trade and ultimately cost jobs.

"My concern remains that on the back of actions like this we could see retaliatory measures that are put in place by other major economies. That is in no-one's interest,” he said.

Toyota said the move would "adversely impact automakers, the automotive supplier community and consumers".

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said the European Union would take retaliatory action if Mr Trump went ahead with his plan.

He said: "We strongly regret this step, which appears to represent a blatant intervention to protect U.S. domestic industry."

Mr Juncker vowed Europe "will not sit idly while our industry is hit with unfair measures that put thousands of European jobs at risk."

Mr Trump responded by threatening to "simply apply a tax" to cars made in Europe if the EU retaliated to his tariffs.

He wrote: "If the EU wants to further increase their already massive tariffs and barriers on US companies doing business there, we will simply apply a Tax on their Cars which freely pour into the US.

"They make it impossible for our cars (and more) to sell there. Big trade imbalance!"

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the President’s decision to impose tariffs on imports of steel and aluminium "shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone."

Additional reporting by the Press Association

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