The move to soften the steel and aluminium tariffs, which were among the earliest introduced in Trump’s second term, comes as economists say that Americans are paying for the levies, undercutting the president’s claim that foreign companies would bear the burden.

European Union leaders broadly agreed Thursday on a plan to restructure the 27-nation bloc's economy to make it more competitive as they face antagonism from U.S. President Donald Trump, strong-arm tactics from China and hybrid threats blamed on Russia.