Page 4 - ARUBA TODAY

A4 U.S. NEWS
Tuesday 18 sepTember 2018

As midterms near, Trump gambles on his hardline trade policy

By PAUL WISEMAN and KEN zales, publisher of Inside as justification for slapping higher prices at the mall deals to show that his brass-
THOMAS Elections, a nonpartisan taxes on them. and online. knuckles approach will suc-
WASHINGTON (AP) — Farm- newsletter. On yet another trade front, On the basis of public opin- ceed in the end. He has
ers worry about falling crop The U.S. and China have the president would raise ion surveys, at least, the said he expects to sign a
prices and lost sales over- imposed import taxes on the stakes considerably if president's approach pos- deal with South Korea later
seas. Manufacturers fear $50 billion worth of each he carries out a threat to es political risks. A poll re- this month during the Unit-
rising costs and new for- ed Nations General Assem-
eign taxes on their exports. bly. Earlier this month, he
American allies overseas announced an agreement
are furious. with Mexico to replace
By any conventional NAFTA — a move intended
gauge, President Donald to pressure Canada to em-
Trump's uncompromising brace a new North Ameri-
stance toward tariffs and can accord on terms favor-
the pain they've begun to able to the United States.
cause U.S. individuals and Plans are underway for a
companies so close to delegation from China to
midterm elections would resume trade discussions
seem politically reckless. with the Trump team as
Yet Trump appears to be early as this week. In addi-
betting that his combative tion, Trump says his team
actions will soon benefit the has started trade discus-
country and prove a politi- sions with Japan and has
cal winner. received interest from In-
Ditching decades of U.S. dia.
trade policy that he says For the president, the bet
swindled America and is that America's trading
robbed its workers, Trump partners will capitulate
insists he can save U.S. jobs promptly to his demands,
and factories by abandon- rather than delay negotia-
ing or rewriting trade deals, In this July 24, 2018, file photo a barn with a banner reading "Trump" is seen behind a field of soy tions in the hope that Dem-
beans in Ashland, Neb. The U.S. and China have imposed import taxes on $50 billion worth of
slapping taxes on imports each other’s products. ocrats will take control of
and waging a brutal tariff Associated Press the House and possibly the
war with China, America's Senate and leave the presi-
biggest trading partner. dent in a weaker bargain-
"Prior presidents in both po- other's products in a rumble tax $340 billion in imported leased Aug. 24 by The Asso- ing position.
litical parties have never over American allegations cars, trucks and auto parts ciated Press-NORC Center "There is some pressure to
really moved to try to help that Beijing uses predatory — action that would raise for Public Affairs Research get results," said Philip Levy,
and protect the American tactics to acquire foreign prices for vehicles Ameri- found that 61 percent of senior fellow at the Chi-
economy and its work- trade secrets and to try to cans buy. Americans disapproved of cago Council on Global
force, its farmers, its manu- overtake America's global What's more, Trump has the president's handling of Affairs and a White House
facturing workers, in a way supremacy in high technol- threatened to kick Cana- trade negotiations. economist under President
of creating a level playing ogy. Over the weekend, da out of a North American "The Trump administration George W. Bush. "They
field," Larry Kudlow, the top news reports indicated trade bloc if it doesn't cave has handed Democrats in need to do something
White House economic that the administration is in to pressure to open its the midterms at least a talk- where they can say, 'Hey,
adviser, told reporters last set to announce tariffs on dairy market, among other ing point, not just with farm- this different approach ac-
week. "They give it lip ser- $200 billion more in Chi- things. ers but with consumers," tually works.' "
vice, and then they back nese imports — a step that Trump is running into resis- said Mickey Kantor, the top Trump is also relying on the
off. This president has no that would significantly es- tance in pockets across the American trade negotiator loyalty of his supporters in ru-
intention of backing off. calate the trade war be- country. American farm- under President Bill Clinton ral America. He has called
None. Zero." tween the world's two larg- ers who rely on exports are and now a partner at the farmers "patriots" who are
Trump's apparent belief is est economies. Beijing has facing retaliation from U.S. Mayer Brown law firm. willing to absorb economic
that he and congressional said it would swiftly retali- trading partners, which Missouri's embattled Demo- pain in the short run to buy
Republicans can rely on ate against additional U.S. depresses export sales cratic senator, Claire Mc- time for him to negotiate
the unswerving support of tariffs. and prices of agricultural Caskill, is trying to link her trade deals more advanta-
core GOP voters — even Caught in the crossfire are commodities. Manufactur- Republican challenger, geous to the United States.
in rural areas that have U.S. soybean farmers, a ers that buy steel and alu- Trump ally Josh Hawley, to Approval for Trump's per-
been economically hurt by prime target of Beijing's re- minum are being hurt by a nail manufacturing plant formance is still running at
his trade disputes — and taliatory tariffs, whose ex- higher prices and supply that says it might have to 53 percent in rural areas,
maybe succeed in deliver- ports to China account for shortages resulting from the close because the Trump compared with 39 percent
ing better trade deals be- about 60 percent of their tariffs on imported metals. steel tariffs have driven up overall, according to an
fore Election Day. Still, as overseas sales. These tariffs Corporations fear that its costs. NPR/Marist poll released
an insurance policy against make U.S. soybeans prohib- Trump's drive to rewrite the Likewise in North Dakota, last week. Even if they're
failure, the administration is itively expensive in China. North American Free Trade Democratic Sen. Heidi worried about the trade
providing $12 billion in farm That means lost sales for Agreement will disrupt the Heitkamp is running ads disputes, many rural Ameri-
aid to soothe trade-war American farmers. supply chains that they've tying her Republican chal- cans support Trump's stands
wounds in rural America. Separately Trump has en- spent the past 24 years lenger, Rep. Kevin Cramer, on social issues such as im-
All told, it's a high-risk politi- raged U.S. allies like Cana- building across the United to Trump's "reckless trade migration — a sign that
cal gamble. da and the European Union States, Canada and Mex- war." Besides unveiling $12 the president may have
"It's still unclear ultimately by declaring their steel ico. If the trade war with billion in aid to farmers hurt enough political leeway to
how the issue plays in No- and aluminum a threat to China further escalates, by the conflicts, Trump is drive forward with his hard
vember," said Nathan Gon- America's national security consumers would face seeking to reach trade line on trade.q