Trade Cases
February 19, 2019
Section 232 Auto Report Causes Furor Before It's Even Disclosed
Written by Sandy Williams
President Trump has received the long-awaited report from the Commerce Department on whether imports of automobiles and auto parts pose a threat to national security and now has 90 days to consider whether to place a 25 percent tariff on automotive imports under Section 232. Details of the Commerce findings were not disclosed but the submission brought immediate backlash from across the globe.
The Trump administration has used the threat of auto tariffs to pry concessions from Japan and the European Union in bilateral trade discussions. As long as talks remained productive, promised administration officials, no tariffs would be issued.
