Tag Archives: trade wars

This would go over with hilarious results: Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland says she is not ruling out potential retaliatory sanctions against the Trump Organization in response to the U.S. president’s recently announced tariffs. Freeland was asked by a Canadian lawmaker during a question period whether the nation’s government has considered sanctions targeting Trump’s businesses, rather than the American people, …

“Have you ever had a fight with your spouse? And in that fight, you just make the decision, OK things were said that we wish were not but there’s an underlying issue that has to be addressed. Now you put this aside and hope it never happens again but you begin to address the issue. I think we as a …

The Hill reports: Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) came to the defense of Canada following attacks on Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau by President Trump and some of his top advisers. Trump and some of his top economic aides targeted Trudeau over the weekend after the Canadian leader criticized steep tariffs imposed by the U.S. on Canadian steel and aluminum imports. …

Politico reports: At the end of a long weekend of rhetorical salvos over the G7 summit’s chaotic ending, German Chancellor Angela Merkel added her voice to the chorus, saying she found Donald Trump’s actions “sobering and a bit depressing,” while calling for more civility in international exchanges. “The situation isn’t very nice,” Merkel told German public television in a lengthy …

Politico reports: White House trade adviser Peter Navarro lit into Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Sunday, saying there’s a “special place in hell” for a world leader that double crosses President Donald Trump. “There’s a special place in hell for any foreign leader that engages in bad-faith diplomacy with President Donald J. Trump and then tries to stab him …

The Hill reports: White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow on Sunday tore into Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for “double crossing” President Trump with critical comments about U.S. trade policy. “He was polarizing. He really kind of stabbed us in the back,” Kudlow said in strikingly critical remarks during an appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “He did a …

CBS News reports: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced he told President Trump he will go through retaliatory tariffs after Mr. Trump’s decision not to exempt allies such as Canada from tariffs on steel and aluminum imports. Although Mr. Trump signed onto the communique for the G-7 summit, he tweeted afterward that he had instructed representatives “not to endorse” it …

Reuters reports: If a picture is worth 1,000 words, Angela Merkel has some thoughts. The German chancellor uploaded a photograph on Instagram of her and French President Emmanuel Macron seeming to stare down President Trump. The U.S. president is staring back, arms crossed, as Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe looks on with his arms also crossed. National Security Adviser John …

Even on the world stage, he just cannot resist: President Trump slammed CNN as “fake news” after a reporter with the news organization asked him a question during a press briefing at the Group of Seven (G-7) summit. After the reporter asked Trump a question about tensions between him and other leaders at the G-7 summit, the president asked what …

CBS News reports: President Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe are meeting at the White House and holding a joint press conference Thursday, as the date of the U.S.-North Korea summit fast approaches. Speaking to reporters alongside Abe on Thursday, Trump said that the Tuesday summit is still subject to change. “I think I’m very well prepared,” Trump said …

CBS News reports: Outspoken Trump critic Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Arizona, is lashing out against the administration’s latest tariff policy leveled against U.S. allies, calling the move “not grown-up leadership” in excerpts of remarks he delivered on the Senate floor on Thursday. The administration announced the move to impose tariffs last week after President Trump initially proposed them back in March, …

Arkansas Online reports: Bekaert Corp., Kiswire America and Tokusen USA jointly requested blanket exclusion from what they described as “grade 1078 and above wire rod for tire cord” that they import, arguing that the quality of wire rod they require is unavailable from U.S.-based steel producers. If they can’t get access to the imported steel they need, the companies say …

The Associated Press reports: Before President Donald Trump sits down with a third-generation North Korean autocrat, he will face what may well turn out to be a tougher crowd — some of America’s oldest allies. With his new tariffs increasing U.S. isolation, Trump heads to Canada on Friday for a meeting of the Group of Seven industrialized nations. The White …

The Washington Post reports: Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) introduced a bipartisan bill Wednesday that would give Congress new authority to check the president’s trade moves, going forward with the legislation after rebuffing a personal appeal from President Trump to back off. Corker’s bill would require congressional approval when the president enacts tariffs under the auspices of national security, as Trump …

The Hill reports: Senators are planning to introduce legislation as soon as Tuesday to require President Trump to get congressional approval for tariffs implemented for national security purposes. Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), who is spearheading the legislation, told reporters that he will roll out the bill as early as Tuesday and wants to try to get it attached to a …

The Louisville Business Journal reports: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is urging President Trump to “pull back from the brink” from an international fight over tariffs, warning they could start a “trade war.” “I don’t think anything good will come out of a trade war, and I hope we pull back from the brink here,” McConnell said at the …

The Hill reports: President Trump fired back at Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday after Trudeau called Thursday’s implementation of U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum an affront to Canadian soldiers who died serving alongside their U.S. compatriots. Trump accused Canada’s government of treating U.S. agricultural interests “very poorly” in a tweet, adding that the country was “highly restrictive …

“These tariffs are totally unacceptable. The numbers are clear: The United States has a $2 billion U.S. dollars surplus in steel trade with Canada – and Canada buys more American steel than any other country in the world, half of U.S. steel exports. Canada is a secure supplier of aluminum and steel to the U.S. defense industry, putting aluminum in …

Not that he’ll do anything about it: House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) on Thursday condemned President Trump’s decision to impose a new set of steel and aluminum tariffs against close trading allies.  “I disagree with this decision,” Ryan said in a statement after Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross announced the new duties Thursday morning. “Instead of addressing the real problems in …

NPR reports: Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says his government “cannot accept” new U.S. tariffs on imported automobiles, as is reportedly being considered as a possible next move by the White House. President Trump last week launched an investigation into whether auto imports posed a national security risk to the U.S., a justification that might be used to raise the …