Trump says he’s ‘sticking’ with tariff plan

President Trump at a Cabinet meeting on Thursday signaled he’s likely to stick to his original proposal to impose a 25 percent tariff on all steel imports and a 10 percent tariff on all aluminum imports.

The White House later formally announced that Trump would sign the tariff proclamation at 3:30 p.m., but did not provide other details. 

{mosads}Trump is facing a revolt in the GOP over his plan. Republicans in Congress have sought to get the president to soften the blow by excluding U.S. allies from the tariffs or by targeting the trade action toward China. 

But Trump did not sound like he would be shifting much from the plan he first announced last week.

“I’m sticking with 10 and 25 initially,” he told reporters attending the opening of a Cabinet meeting.

“I’ll have a right to go up or down depending on the country and I’ll have a right to drop out countries or add countries. I just want fairness, because we have not been treated fairly by other countries,” he said.

Earlier on Thursday, Trump did hint that there could be exemptions for Canada or Mexico.

“Looking forward to 3:30 P.M. meeting today at the White House,” Trump tweeted. “We have to protect & build our Steel and Aluminum Industries.”

In the tweet, Trump suggested the tariffs will include exemptions for countries he called “real friends” that “treat us fairly on both trade and the military.”

Looking forward to 3:30 P.M. meeting today at the White House. We have to protect & build our Steel and Aluminum Industries while at the same time showing great flexibility and cooperation toward those that are real friends and treat us fairly on both trade and the military.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 8, 2018

{mosads}

Excluding Mexico, Canada or other countries from the tariffs for national security reasons could soothe investors, foreign leaders and Republican lawmakers, who worried that a sweeping tariff could set off a global trade war.

The president asked his team on Wednesday to arrange a Thursday afternoon signing ceremony in the Roosevelt Room with steel and aluminum workers. But it’s unclear whether the tariff announcement has been fully vetted and finalized.

Updated at 1:32 p.m.