Trump ends preferential trade status for India, Turkey


President Trump is ending a preferential trade status for India and Turkey, effective in about 60 days, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer announced Monday.
The Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) allows countries to export up to $5.6 billion in goods to the U.S. duty-free. India, the program's largest beneficiary, shrugged off the news. "It's meant for least-developed countries, and India has graduated out of that," said Monideepa M. Mukherjee, a spokeswoman for India's commerce ministry, adding that India will hold off on retaliatory tariffs.
Turkey was less sanguine, slamming the decision as harmful to Turkish and American small and medium businesses. Trump complains frequently about trade deficits.
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.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
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.
-
What is the dollar's future after Moody's downgrade?
Today's Big Question Trump trade wars and growing debt have investors looking elsewhere
-
Crypto firm Coinbase hacked, faces SEC scrutiny
Speed Read The Securities and Exchange Commission has also been investigating whether Coinbase misstated its user numbers in past disclosures
-
Starbucks baristas strike over dress code
speed read The new uniform 'puts the burden on baristas' to buy new clothes, said a Starbucks Workers United union delegate
-
Warren Buffet announces surprise retirement
speed read At the annual meeting of Berkshire Hathaway, the billionaire investor named Vice Chairman Greg Abel his replacement
-
Trump calls Amazon's Bezos over tariff display
Speed Read The president was not happy with reports that Amazon would list the added cost from tariffs alongside product prices
-
How the US bond market works – and why it matters
The Explainer Donald Trump was forced to U-turn on tariffs after being 'spooked' by rise in Treasury yields
-
Why does the US need China's rare earth metals?
Today's Big Question Beijing has a 'near monopoly' on tech's raw materials