International Trade Today is a service of Warren Communications News.

‘Nothing Wrong’ With Deferring Section 301 Tariffs During Pandemic, Says Trump

President Donald Trump doesn’t oppose deferring tariffs on Chinese imports for 90 days during the pandemic, he told a White House briefing Tuesday. “I’m going to have to approve the plan,” said Trump. “I approve everything. And they haven’t presented…

Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article

If your job depends on informed compliance, you need International Trade Today. Delivered every business day and available any time online, only International Trade Today helps you stay current on the increasingly complex international trade regulatory environment.

it to me.” He sees “nothing wrong” with deferring the levies. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, wrote Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer Friday to back a 90-day delay because “the response to COVID-19 has now added another layer of pressure as businesses are facing severe cash flow problems” (see 2003300012). The U.S. Chamber of Commerce also came out Wednesday in support of “tariff relief,” saying it would “provide some welcome breathing room for American businesses and consumers.”