Despite previously predicting that his department would likely issue a report making way for the tariffs in August, Ross told The Wall Street Journal that it was “not clear the report will be out at the end of the month,” citing ongoing trade negotiations.

Ross said the delay was due to tough negotiations the Trump administration is involved in with Canada and Mexico over the fate of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and with the European Commission on ramping down a trade dispute on steel and aluminum.

ADVERTISEMENT

The administration has argued that auto imports pose a risk to national security. Section 232 of the trade law gives administrations broad authority to impose tariffs on imported items that the Commerce Department deems are a threat to national security, and Ross is legally obligated to issue the report on imported cars by mid-February under a request Trump submitted in May.

Trump imposed steep tariffs on imported aluminum and steel under the same national security rationale earlier in the year, but recently doubled tariffs on Turkey amid an ongoing dispute over an American pastor imprisoned there. Trump also waived tariffs for countries such as South Korea after it agreed to tweak portions of its trade deal with the U.S.

The threat of auto tariffs could play a significant role in Trump’s attempt to renegotiate NAFTA with Canada and Mexico, where the supply chains and markets for auto industries are heavily intertwined with the U.S.

Trump also promised to avoid imposing new trade restrictions on Europe as the two sides negotiate a new trade arrangement.