The American International Automobile Dealers Association has taken the lead on expressing the industry’s aggravation with the U.S. Department of Commerce Section 232 investigation into whether imported vehicles and parts represent a national security threat.
The Trump Administration launched the investigation in May 2018 and the Department’s findings were reportedly submitted to the White House about a week ago, but the report has not yet been made public.
President Trump has threatened to impose tariffs as high as 25% on imported vehicles and parts. A tariff, as well as the inevitable retaliation from other trade partners around the globe, would negatively impact consumers with higher prices on virtually every vehicle sold in the U.S., since the vast majority of vehicles contain some percentage of imported parts.
The AIADA, the NADA and dealer associations across the country continue to voice their opposition to any potential tariffs that would impact vehicle affordability.