News analysis
With new metal tariffs, Trump scores short-term political win
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US President Donald Trump announces a presidential proclamation placing tariffs on steel and aluminium imports, at the White House on March 8, 2018.
PHOTO: REUTERS
WASHINGTON - United States President Donald Trump's order imposing a 25 per cent tariff on imported steel and 10 per cent on imported aluminium is a political win - at least in the short term.
The President left room for negotiation - dancing away from last week's hard line, in which he said the tariffs would be applied to all countries. The order exempted Canada and Mexico, both major sources of imports, and allows for other countries to negotiate exclusions from the new tariffs.
