Tariffs stall European car deliveries at U.S. ports

Thousands of European-made vehicles, including popular Audi and Jaguar models, are stuck at U.S. ports after a sudden 25 percent import tariff took effect, disrupting deliveries and sparking global trade tensions.

A major shift in U.S. trade policy is causing widespread disruption across the European auto industry. Since April 2, a new 25 percent tariff on imported vehicles has taken effect, leaving thousands of cars, including German Audis and British Jaguars, stalled at American ports and forcing manufacturers to rethink their export strategies.

Audi's Q5 and Q7 SUVs, long-time favorites among American drivers, are among the most affected. Though assembled in Mexico for the U.S. market, they fail to meet the 75 percent North American content requirement under the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), making them subject to the full tariff.

"This is now to consider to wait what is happening. Are there any further negotiations with the Trump administration? What is the strategy within the Volkswagen Group? How to deal with imports? How to deal with the additional tariffs? Who does it hit, and to what extent? And I think this is why everybody is waiting," said Beatrix Keim, director of Business Development for China Projects at the Center for Automotive Research.

The impact extends beyond Audi. Netherlands-based Stellantis, owner of Chrysler, Jeep, and Dodge, has paused production at several plants in Canada and Mexico. At the same time, British automaker Jaguar Land Rover has halted U.S. shipments entirely to evaluate the financial fallout.

"Their car, the SUVs, they are deemed as light trucks because especially the displacement, the engine volume they have. So that means it is 25 percent which was the original import tariff plus 25 percent of the penalty tariff, meaning 50 percent on. So now the consideration is the volume in the U.S. big enough to perhaps start planning a plant in the U.S., what they didn't have before," said Keim.

The U.S. government said the tariffs are intended to incentivize domestic production, but the move has stirred concern abroad.

Speaking at a Jaguar Land Rover factory in the U.K., British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that while it was important to remain calm and pragmatic in responding to the tariffs, it was equally crucial to maintain perspective. He emphasized the long-standing relationship between the U.K. and the U.S., which he said had helped preserve peace for 80 years, and argued that it would be wrong to walk away from that partnership simply.

Starmer added that the challenges posed by the tariffs now required a constructive and strategic response.

As governments and carmakers weigh their next moves, the immediate impact is clear: American consumers face delivery delays, European manufacturers confront mounting costs, and the global auto trade is entering a period of profound uncertainty.

Tariffs stall European car deliveries at U.S. ports

A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.

Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.

In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.

"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.

Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.

In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.

"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.

By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.

After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.

"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.

Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.

As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.

Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media