Washington: US President Donald Trump has announced plans to impose new tariffs on imported cars starting in early April. In a statement, Trump said he plans to introduce new tariffs on cars entering the United States, likely around April 2, adding that he had initially considered implementing them on April 1. According to Qatar News Agency, this decision comes after Trump signed an executive order last Thursday allowing for reciprocal tariffs on both trade partners and competitors. The move marks an escalation in an ongoing trade war, which economists warn could fuel inflation in the US. Trump defended the tariffs, arguing that US allies are "often worse than our enemies when it comes to trade." The tariffs will vary by country rather than being applied uniformly, taking into account non-tariff factors such as value-added tax (VAT). Since taking office three weeks ago, Trump introduced a broad range of tariffs on some of the country's biggest trade partners, insisting that these measures will help counter "unfair trade practices."