According to news reports, Donald Trump said today in a meeting with state governors that he wants to revive the US steel industry, even if that means applying strong tariffs to steel imports in his Section 232 decision.
“I want to bring the steel industry back into our country,” Trump said. “If that takes tariffs, let it take tariffs, OK? Maybe it will cost a little bit more, but we’ll have jobs.”
The comments track with others reported on Friday. According to a report from Bloomberg, Trump has told aides that he wants to impose “the harshest tariffs” on steel imports, which would be the 24 percent tariff on imports from all countries recommended by the US Department of Commerce. Another option would impose a higher tariff—53 percent—on a selection of 12 countries, while the final option would be to impose quotas on countries that import steel to the US.
Additionally, the Bloomberg article reported on the likelihood of Trump announcing his Section 232 decision next month at a Congressional campaign rally in Pennsylvania, which has a strong steel mill presence.
The latest reports contradict earlier quotes from US DOC Secretary Wilbur Ross and Defense Secretary James Mattis, who both indicated the president might take a more “targeted” or “surgical” approach to any tariff or quota.