Conservative groups rip Trump’s tariffs

Conservative advocacy groups on Monday laid into President Trump’s proposed tariffs on steel and aluminum, saying the import taxes would harm American consumers.

“The idea of imposing steel or aluminum tariffs of any kind is an affront to economic freedom,” said David McIntosh, president of the conservative Club for Growth.

McIntosh added that for every steel job a tariff might save, the U.S. would lose jobs in auto plants, construction and other industries that rely on steel or aluminum.

{mosads}FreedomWorks, an advocacy group linked to the Tea Party, said the tariffs would hit consumers, spark a trade war, and open opportunities for well-connected companies to weave out exemptions at everyone else’s expense.

“President Trump’s historic tax reform success does not deserve to be squandered in a trade war,” FreedomWorks President Adam Brandon said. “We encourage President Trump to focus on policies that benefit American consumers.”

Trump said last week that he intended to impose steep tariffs on steel and aluminum, sparking threats of retaliation from Europe and Canada, and spooking U.S. stock markets.