Tariffs on Mexican, Canadian and Chinese goods threaten not just those nations but global economic growth

• Trump vows tariffs on Mexico and Canada and deeper tariffs on China
• US politics – live updates

European companies were wondering whether they had dodged a harmful blow to their US sales after Donald Trump promised to slap trade tariffs on Mexican, Canadian and Chinese goods in social media posts late on Monday.

They could congratulate themselves for avoiding the incoming president’s gaze – so far – and watch as he turned his anger on Beijing and Washington’s nearest trading partners.