Amid rising tensions between the U.S. and Turkey – already on notice with Fetullah Gullen’s presence in Pennsylvania, and now further complicated by the fate of American pastor Andrew Brunson, accused of abetting a coup attempt on the Turkish president – the Turkish government has raised tariffs on a number of U.S. goods.

The tariff tit-for-tat with Turkey originated on March 23, 2018, when the United States invoked national security and imposed a 10 percent tariff on imported aluminum and a 25 percent tariff on imported steel, including from Turkey. In retaliation, the Turkish government imposed tariffs that took effect June 21, on $1.8 billion worth of 22 goods imported from the U.S.

Due to Turkey’s refusal to release Brunson, Trump tweeted last week that the U.S. would double the tariffs on aluminum and steel imports from Turkey. In response, Turkey announced yesterday that they will raise tariffs on most goods imposed on June 21.

The most eye-popping changes are to alcohol (40 percent to 140 percent tariff), tobacco (25 percent to 60 percent tariff), and motor vehicles (35 percent to 120 percent tariff). Coal briquettes – used in hookah consumption – were also raised from 10 percent to 13.7 percent. Strangely, some tariffs were lowered including petroleum coke (5 percent to 4 percent tariff) and fuel wood (15 percent to 10 percent tariff).

The Trump Administration’s tilt toward tariffs as a tool of diplomatic engagement is pretty clear, so we expect this ratcheting up to continue. For more details on all products being touched in this trade war see our ever-growing spreadsheet on what we’re calling the Trump’s Trade War Tracker .

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