National Taxpayers Union President Pete Sepp on Monday issued a statement in response to President Donald Trump’s new 25% tariff on steel and aluminum imports.
“Americans elected Donald Trump to get inflation under control and lower prices. Universal 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum mean exploding prices for cars, washing machines, refrigerators, tractors, and soda cans and other goods.
“Tariffs are taxes that bloat the cost of doing business in the United States. Construction workers, autoworkers, boat manufacturers and other workers in industries that rely on steel and aluminum could face layoffs or other hardships due to these massive price increases.
“President Trump can ensure Americans benefit from trade policy first by hitting the brakes on these tariffs and instead moving toward his stated goal of zero tariffs, zero non-tariff barriers, and zero subsidies. New steel and aluminum tariffs undermine that goal, and encourage other countries to impose reciprocal tariffs on U.S. farmers and other exporters, which will require another bailout using taxpayer dollars our country doesn’t have to spend.”