Trump has officially put more tariffs on U.S. allies than on ChinaBy Heather Long
May 31 at 5:34 PM
President Trump campaigned on going hard after China for ripping off the United States on trade. Yet a year and a half into his presidency, Trump has put more tariffs on longtime U.S. allies than he has on China, his supposed "bad guy" on trade. The Trump administration announced
new tariffs Thursday on the European Union, Canada and Mexico.
Almost all of the reaction has been negative. Many are calling it a political and economic mistake.
America's allies are stunned, stocks slid on Wall Street as trade-war fears returned, and economists are warning that Americans will soon face higher prices on a wide variety of products. A slew of Republican lawmakers immediately trashed the move as bad for the economy and foreign relations.
"Europe, Canada & Mexico aren't China. You don’t treat allies the same way you treat opponents. Blanket protectionism is a big part of why we had a Great Depression. 'Make America Great Again' shouldn’t mean 'Make America 1929 Again.' "
tweeted Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), joining an opposition that included many Republican officials and business groups.
Trump's latest move takes the focus off China. Most countries (and U.S. lawmakers) agree with Trump that China isn't playing fair on trade, but instead of turning the E.U. and Canada into allies in the trade fight against China, Trump is alienating them.
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