STEVE MNUCHIN/TARIFFS/TRADE DEALS/TREASURY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the White House will move forward with steel and aluminum tariffs despite strong pushback from congressional Republicans and business groups, one day after President Donald Trump’s top economic adviser resigned following the surprise policy decision…
Mr. Mnuchin said it was possible the White House would issue waivers for certain countries but that no decisions had been made by Mr. Trump. The details on Mr. Trump’s tariff policy are ‘still on pace’ to be finalized this week, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said on Wednesday [3-7-18].
Mr. Mnuchin has publicly supported the tariffs but has privately argued in favor of more targeted measures. That has put him alongside National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn, who said Tuesday he would resign from the White House after Mr. Trump blindsided his senior staff by announcing the tariffs last week.
The White House hasn’t named a replacement for Mr. Cohn, and many of the candidates being talked about lack his stature with financial markets.”
-Nick Timiraos, “Mnuchin Says Tariffs Will Move Forward After Cohn Departs,” The Wall Street Journal online, Mar. 7, 2018 10:23am