Three Unanswered Questions About Trump's Metals Tariffs
- Trump plans 25% tariff on steel and 10% on aluminum imports
- U.S. had said imports of the metals threaten national security
Photographer: Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg
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President Donald Trump’s confirmation Thursday that he’ll slap harsh duties on steel and aluminum shipments appears to leave those lobbying against the measures with little room for maneuver. But there’s still a flicker of hope for them.
Trump said he plans to sign the measure some time next week. If the confusion in the hours before today’s announcement is anything to go by, a week is a long time in U.S. policy making. While Trump didn’t say any country would be excluded from a 25 percent duty on steel imports and 10 percent on aluminum, Canadian producers “have to keep hoping” for an exemption, according to Jean Simard, who heads the country’s aluminum association.