Running a large trade surplus with the U.S. is only one way to draw President-elect Donald Trump's tariff fire, argues a new report from the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation; other ways would be by expecting the U.S. to provide a defense umbrella, enacting digital services taxes or other anti-U.S. regulations, and taking what ITIF called "soft positions toward China."
The possibility of a double whammy come January consisting of a strike at East and Gulf coast ports and the implementation of President-elect Donald Trump's proposed tariffs (see 2411250034) is making shippers nervous, with the National Retail Federation saying that the scenarios could result in a "continued surge in imports through next spring."
President-elect Donald Trump said the U.S. is "subsidizing Canada to the tune [of] over $100 billion a year. We’re subsidizing Mexico for almost $300 billion. We shouldn’t be -- why are we subsidizing these countries? If we’re going to subsidize them, let them become a state."
The U.S. may consider imposing new import tariffs on older generation semiconductors from China, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said.
President-elect Donald Trump has selected Rodney Scott as his choice for CBP commissioner. Scott is a former U.S. Border Patrol chief known for his experience tackling illegal immigration, according to a TruthSocial post.
President-elect Donald Trump is most likely to announce 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods the day he takes office, "then immediately suspend them -- with a deadline -- to allow for a negotiation," Bill Reinsch, a think tank leader who often opines on trade, wrote this week.
Peter Navarro, a former academic economist who served in the first Trump administration (see 1911060059 and 2002030056), will return as a trade adviser in the second administration, President-elect Donald Trump announced Dec. 4.
If incoming President Donald Trump imposes 25% tariffs on all Mexican and Canadian imports, it would be deeply disruptive to business in Texas, Arizona, Michigan and southeastern states with major auto manufacturing.
Facing Fentanyl, the Victims of Illicit Drugs and Families Against Fentanyl withdrew their Section 301 petition that asked the U.S. Trade Representative to double the 25% tariffs on Section 301 tariffs on lists 1 and 2 and asked the government to exclude Chinese goods from de minimis (see 2410180039).
President-elect Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that he will block the purchase of U.S. Steel by Nippon Steel, though it's possible President Joe Biden will take care of that before Trump is inaugurated.