President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday new 25% tariffs on imported automobiles and certain imported automobile parts, and a major media outlet subsequently reported the next day that Trump allegedly warned the CEOs of U.S. automakers against raising prices on their vehicles because of those tariffs.

Yet, in a phone interview on Saturday, Trump denied that report and said he "couldn't care less" if automakers raised prices because of tariffs on imports, because that would spur more U.S.-based production and consumption, according to NBC News.

The apparent contradiction could be evidence that Trump knows his "spin" on tariffs not increasing prices for consumers is "bogus," as some anti-Trump partisans assert, or it could be the latest example of biased and dishonest anonymously-sourced "fake news" from one or both of the major media outlets.

Trump to impose new 25% tariff on foreign vehicles and car parts

On Wednesday, President Trump issued a proclamation to announce a finding that imported automobiles and certain automobile parts posed a particular threat to U.S. national security that must be addressed.

As such, he revealed a new 25% tariff -- "in addition to any other duties, fees, exactions, and charges" already in existence -- that would be imposed beginning April 3 on all imported vehicles and certain imported parts.

That new tariff would initially not apply to vehicles or parts imported from Canada or Mexico under the USMCA trade deal, at least until a method is devised to determine how much, if any, of those vehicles or parts contained elements that were originally produced in the U.S. and would be exempt from the 25% surcharge.

Trump allegedly warned U.S. automakers against raising prices because of tariffs

Just one day after that announcement, the Wall Street Journal reported that, per anonymous sources, President Trump warned the CEOs of U.S. automakers against raising prices on their vehicles because of tariffs imposed on imported parts.

The report further alleged that Trump told the CEOs that any company that raised prices because of tariffs would be viewed "disfavorably" by the White House, prompting fears of possible reprisals.

The Journal also claimed that Trump informed the CEOs that they should be thanking him for doing away with former President Joe Biden's electric vehicle mandates and strict emissions regulations, and insisted that the tariffs would ultimately result in increased U.S.-based manufacturing and lower prices on American-made products.

Trump reportedly said he "couldn't care less" if foreign vehicles become more expensive

NBC News reported that it briefly contacted President Trump by phone on Saturday while he was golfing with Finland's president, during which he was asked about the Journal's reporting on his phone call with U.S. automaker CEOs and what his message for them and others concerned about the impact of tariffs might be.

"The message is congratulations, if you make your car in the United States, you’re going to make a lot of money," Trump replied. "If you don’t, you’re going to have to probably come to the United States, because if you make your car in the United States, there is no tariff."

Pressed on whether he'd warned the CEOs against raising prices on American consumers, the president said, "No, I never said that. I couldn’t care less if they raise prices, because people are going to start buying American-made cars."

"I couldn’t care less. I hope they raise their prices, because if they do, people are gonna buy American-made cars. We have plenty," Trump reportedly reiterated. "No, I couldn’t care less, because if the prices on foreign cars go up, they’re going to buy American cars."

NBC News noted that one of Trump's aides later clarified that the president's remarks about price increases were referring only to foreign-produced vehicles.