President speaks with resolve, but Section 232 investigations drag on.
Donald Trump gathered a bipartisan group of senators and representatives at the White House to talk trade policy. What started off as a closed meeting later opened up to the press. And the president spoke candidly about the outstanding Section 232 national security investigations into steel and aluminum dumping.
In his meeting with lawmakers on trade, President Trump says steel and aluminum industries are being “decimated by dumping” from many countries https://t.co/hGMHFkmJTI
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) February 13, 2018
“You see what’s happened with our steel and alum industries,” the president said. “They’re being decimated by dumping by many countries. In particular, one, but by many countries.” It sounds like he understands the harm caused by overcapacity in these sectors, and is wrestling with what to do.
The aforementioned 232 investigations, meanwhile, have dragged on for months after the president promised a speedy turnaround. That has caused an import spike, and steelworkers are on-the-record not happy about it. Heck, they weren’t happy about it in September!
Alliance for American Manufacturing President Scott Paul kept it brief, saying:
We hope today’s meeting between President Trump and lawmakers on the Section 232 cases will help move the process forward. The president should act now to defend America’s steelworkers.
I’m confident a robust trade action will protect our national security and grow jobs in America.
We hope the president sticks to his commitments and stands up for steel and aluminum.