TARIFFS/TRADE DEALS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “White House trade adviser Peter Navarro says no countries will be excluded from upcoming steel and aluminum tariffs set to be imposed by the Trump administration, including the United States’ greatest allies… Navarro said he expects President Donald Trump to sign the measures by the end of this week or early in the next. The economic adviser called the President’s move, which will impose tariffs of 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminum, a ‘courageous and tough decision.’
Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross also said he expects the tariffs to be put in place this week, but noted that whether they actually move forward ultimately will be up to Trump… Navarro would not say whether the United States would leave the World Trade Organization if it imposed a steep fine for the tariffs, but said the group ‘needs to change with the times.’…
The President has long cited Chinese overproduction of steel as a reason to impose tariffs. However, US allies such as Canada and South Korea account for a larger share of American steel imports than China… The White House invoked national security as one reason why the tariffs are necessary, but disregarded the Pentagon’s recommendation for targeted tariffs.”
-Maegan Vazquez, “Navarro says ‘no exclusions’ on steel and aluminum tariffs,” CNN Politics, CNN.com, Mar. 4, 2018 11:13am