Trump says he's 'not backing down' on tariffs


Despite politicians in his own party, like House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), calling on him to ditch his plan to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum, President Trump said Monday he's "not backing down."
Last week, Trump surprised everyone by announcing he planned on implementing a 25 percent tax on steel imports and a 10 percent tax on aluminum imports. On Monday, Ryan released a statement saying he was "extremely worried about the consequences" of such a move, and his spokeswoman said there were concerns this would launch a "trade war," with Ryan "urging the White House to not advance with this plan."
A Canadian government official told Reuters that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called Trump on Monday, letting him know that if he imposed tariffs, it would be a roadblock in ongoing talks on updating NAFTA. Canada is the largest supplier of aluminum and steel to the U.S., and the official said during the call, Trudeau "forcefully defended" his country's workers and industries. Trump was not swayed by Ryan's concern or his conversation with Trudeau; in a meeting at the White House with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump said, "We're not backing down. I don't think you're going to have a trade war."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
The Velvet Sundown: viral band that doesn't actually exist
In the Spotlight These AI-generated rock hits are brought to listeners by… no one
-
Retro tomatoes: a species of the plant is evolving backward
Under the radar Environmental factors may play a role
-
Snow what? 6 charming ski towns to visit during peak summer
The Week Recommends No powder, no problem
-
Will Europe pivot to Asia on trade?
Today's Big Question It could be an attempt to sidestep the impact of Trump's tariffs
-
Dollar faces historic slump as stocks hit new high
Speed Read While stocks have recovered post-Trump tariffs, the dollar has weakened more than 10% this year
-
Higher toy prices from Trump's tariffs have arrived
In the Spotlight Three out of four toy products in the US come from China
-
'Tariff stacking' is creating problems for businesses
The Explainer Imports from China are the most heavily affected
-
Economists fear US inflation data less reliable
speed read The Labor Department is collecting less data for its consumer price index due to staffing shortages
-
Trump is trying to jump-start US manufacturing. Is it worth it?
Today's Big Question The jobs are good. The workers may not be there.
-
The UK-US trade deal: what was agreed?
In Depth Keir Starmer's calm handling of Donald Trump paid off, but deal remains more of a 'damage limitation exercise' than 'an unbridled triumph'
-
Tariffs were supposed to drive inflation. Why hasn't that happened?
Talking Points Businesses' planning ahead helped. But uncertainty still looms.