Trudeau on possible auto tariffs: Trump shows flimsy logic

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Thursday slammed President Trump for considering a slew of tariffs on automobile imports.

“I am — even more than I was with steel and aluminum — trying to figure out where a possible national security connection is,” Trudeau told Reuters in an interview.

{mosads}“Taking that a step further into autos seems to me to be on even flimsier logical grounds.”

The remarks from Trudeau come as the Trump administration is weighing implementing new tariffs on automobiles due to national security concerns. The president this week requested that the Commerce Department probe whether the U.S. can enact the levies.

“I instructed Secretary Ross to consider initiating a Section 232 investigation into imports of automobiles, including trucks, and automotive parts to determine their effects on America’s national security,” Trump said in a Wednesday statement, referring to Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross.

“Core industries such as automobiles and automotive parts are critical to our strength as a nation.”

The administration earlier this year imposed a 10-percent tariff on aluminum imports and 25 percent on steel imports.

Trump also threatened additional tariffs on China earlier this year, but Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said this week that those tariffs are currently “on hold” while the U.S. participates in discussions with China on trade.