Detroit automakers say Trump’s UK trade deal unfairly favors foreign cars

A trade group representing Detroit’s big three automakers, Ford, GM, and Stellantis, issued a statement late Thursday criticizing the Trump administration’s fresh trade deal with the UK.

“We are disappointed that the administration prioritized the UK ahead of our North American partners,” Matt Blunt, president of the American Automotive Policy Council, said. “Under this deal, it will now be cheaper to import a UK vehicle with very little US content than a USMCA compliant vehicle from Mexico or Canada that is half American parts.”

Under Thursday’s deal, the tariff rate on cars imported from the UK will fall from 27.5% to 10% for up to 100,000 vehicles. According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, a UK trade org, that’s just 2,000 fewer vehicles than the US imported from the UK in all of 2024 — essentially lowering the tariff on all UK vehicle imports to 10%.

“This hurts American automakers, suppliers, and auto workers,” Blunt said. “We hope this preferential access for UK vehicles over North American ones does not set a precedent for future negotiations with Asian and European competitors.”

Ford recently told investors it expects a $1.5 billion cost from tariffs this year. GM put its anticipated charge at up to $5 billion.