06 March 2018 - Trump to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum imports
Republicans 'extremely worried' by Trump's metal tariffs plan
(BBC News, 06/03/2018)
Republicans have raised concern about the US president's plan to impose tariffs on metals, with the party's top lawmaker calling for it to be scrapped.
US Speaker of the House Paul Ryan said he was "extremely worried" about the impact of a trade war, adding that it could undermine economic gains.
But Mr Trump pushed back during a White House meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Trump: 'We're not backing down' on steel tariffs
Jordan Fabian (The Hill, 05/03/2018)
President Trump on Monday said he will not reverse his decision to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum, predicting the U.S. could avoid a trade war if he forges ahead.
"No, we're not backing down," Trump told reporters at the White House, saying the U.S. “has been ripped off by virtually every country in the world, whether it’s friend or enemy,” on trade.
Asked if the move could trigger a global trade war, Trump responded, “I don’t think you’re going to have a trade war.”
Donald Trump's Trade War Will Cause 'Deep' Global Recession, Says WTO Director
Nicole Goodkind (Newsweek, 05/03/2018)
The world is at risk of a trade war and deep recession because of President Trump’s announced tariffs of 25 percent on steel on 10 percent on aluminum, World Trade Organization director-general Roberto Azevêdo said on Monday.
“It is clear that we now see a much higher and real risk of triggering an escalation of trade barriers across the globe," he said at a meeting of the whole WTO membership. “We cannot ignore this risk and I urge all parties to consider and reflect on this situation very carefully.
"Once we start down this path, it will be very difficult to reverse direction. An eye for an eye will leave us all blind and the world in deep recession. We must make every effort to avoid the fall of the first dominoes."
Top Republican Paul Ryan splits with Trump over trade tariffs
Edward Helmore and Dominic Rushe (The Guardian, 05/03/2018)
Republican leader Paul Ryan publicly split with Donald Trump on Monday over the president’s threat to impose tariffs on the US’s trading partners on steel and aluminium.
The House speaker became the most senior Republican to publicly distance himself from Trump’s tariffs, which have rattled stock markets worldwide and sparked threats of retaliation. “We are extremely worried about the consequences of a trade war and are urging the White House to not advance the plan,” AshLee Strong, Ryan’s spokeswoman said in a statement.
She said the tariffs plan threatened to jeopardize the impact of Trump’s recently introduced $1.5tn tax reforms.