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."
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.
-
Massacre in the favela: Rio’s police take on the gangsIn the Spotlight The ‘defence operation’ killed 132 suspected gang members, but could spark ‘more hatred and revenge’
-
The John Lewis ad: touching, or just weird?Talking Point This year’s festive offering is full of 1990s nostalgia – but are hedonistic raves really the spirit of Christmas?
-
Sudoku hard: November 15, 2025The daily hard sudoku puzzle from The Week
-
US mints final penny after 232-year runSpeed Read Production of the one-cent coin has ended
-
Warner Bros. explores sale amid Paramount bidsSpeed Read The media giant, home to HBO and DC Studios, has received interest from multiple buying parties
-
China’s rare earth controlsThe Explainer Beijing has shocked Washington with export restrictions on minerals used in most electronics
-
Gold tops $4K per ounce, signaling financial uneaseSpeed Read Investors are worried about President Donald Trump’s trade war
-
Electronic Arts to go private in record $55B dealspeed read The video game giant is behind ‘The Sims’ and ‘Madden NFL’
-
Fed cuts interest rates a quarter pointSpeed Read ‘The cut suggests a broader shift toward concern about cracks forming in the job market’
-
Why are global postal services cutting off package delivery to the US?Today's Big Question 'Uncertainty' around new tariff rules halts small-dollar imports
-
New York court tosses Trump's $500M fraud fineSpeed Read A divided appeals court threw out a hefty penalty against President Trump for fraudulently inflating his wealth
