President Donald Trump of the United States said he did not warn car industry executives against raising prices as tariffs on foreign-made autos come into force.
Trump stated this while speaking with NBC News, saying he “couldn't care less” if they did.
DAILY POST reports that the White House has been preparing to impose new tariffs on a range of consumer goods on April 2.
The move is said to have drawn criticism from international leaders and concerns about potential price increases for consumers.
Speaking in the interview with NBC News, Trump said his permanent tariffs on foreign-made automobiles would be a boost to US-domiciled factories and was confident the move would lead to increased sales of American-made cars.
“I hope they raise their prices, because if they do, people are gonna buy American-made cars,” Trump said.
The US president noted that he would only consider negotiating on the tariffs if people were willing to give them something of great value.
The tariffs are part of Trump's efforts to promote American manufacturing and reduce the country's trade deficit.
DAILY POST reports that Trump's trade policies have been a key focus of his presidency, with ongoing tensions with major trading partners.
