Turkey is preparing for the effects of a new 10 percent import tariff imposed by the United States, a measure announced by President Donald Trump as part of a sweeping effort to reshape global trade, according to Turkish media reports on Thursday.
The tariff, set to take effect on April 5, will apply to all goods imported into the US, including products from Turkey.
The United States was Turkey’s ninth-largest export market in 2024, with total exports reaching $16.35 billion and imports totaling $16.23 billion, according to data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat).
Turkey’s main export items to the United States include automotive parts, white goods, steel products, textiles and machinery.
The near-balanced trade has not spared Turkey from the tariff, which applies to more than 100 countries with no exemptions for Ankara.
Turkish officials and industry leaders have spent the past 24 hours evaluating the risks to trade and production, especially in key export sectors.
Turkish media cited the trade and finance ministers as stressing that Turkey lies in the lowest tariff bracket and stating that the government would seek an exemption as Turkey does not impose similar tariffs on US goods.
Experts said the tariff could hurt competitiveness for Turkish exporters who now face additional costs when selling to the US market.
The Turkish Exporters Assembly reported that the United States accounts for about 6 percent of total Turkish exports, making it an important but not dominant market.
President Trump also announced on March 26 that the United States would impose a 25 percent tariff on all imported cars and car parts, a move aimed at boosting domestic manufacturing.
This means that Turkey’s automotive sector is expected to be among the hardest hit, with the country exporting $1.2 billion worth of vehicles and parts to the United States in 2024.
The new tariff on the auto industry, which takes effect today, applies to both finished vehicles and components regardless of origin, including those assembled in Canada, Mexico and countries like Turkey, marking a sharp escalation in trade policy for Turkey’s car and parts manufacturers.
Analysts warned the tariffs could disrupt global supply chains and sharply increase prices for consumers in the United States.
About half of all cars sold in the US are imported, and nearly 60 percent of the parts used in vehicles assembled in the US come from abroad.
The New York Times cited economists at Cox Automotive as estimating that the 25 percent tariff could add $6,000 to the cost of some imported vehicles and raise the cost of US-built cars by $3,000 due to their reliance on foreign parts.
Turkey primarily exports components, while it also ships finished cars and light commercial vehicles to the US from time to time, which will now face a steep price disadvantage.
The Turkish steel industry as well as the textile and apparel industry, another key sector for Turkey, is also exposed to the new tariff.
Textile producers have seen rising demand from the US in recent months, with exports up 14 percent year-over-year in early 2025.
Industry representatives fear the tariff will cut into profits and reduce orders from American buyers.
The US has imposed higher tariffs on other countries, including 20 percent on the European Union and 34 percent on China.
Trump’s so-called “reciprocal” tariffs are not based on actual foreign tariff rates but appear to reflect trade deficit ratios with each country. According to World Trade Organization data, China’s average applied tariff is 7.3 percent and the European Union’s is 5.2 percent.
Despite the low tariff rate on Turkey, exporters say even small changes in pricing can affect market access and competitiveness.
The Turkish lira has remained stable following the announcement, but traders say prolonged trade uncertainty could pressure the currency.