President Says There's Nothing Wrong With Tariff Deferral, but Hasn't Approved It
When asked during a press conference about stories that he would approve a temporary deferral of some tariffs (see 2003310073), President Donald Trump said that an executive order hasn't been presented to him, “so therefore, it's false reporting.” Still, “if we’re going to do something, we’d -- I’d be glad to let you know,” he said. “There's nothing wrong with doing it. But we'll let you know,” he said March 31. If the deferral measures are approved, CBP is expected to limit its deferral to regular, taxes and fees (see 2003300035).
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The United Steelworkers says that even though importers will eventually have to pay those duties, even a temporary rollback of high duties on pickup trucks and other goods will destroy American jobs. “Domestic workers making glassware, light trucks and countless other products will ultimately be the ones who pay the price as plants are forced to close and jobs are lost,” they said.
The National Council of Textile Organizations also argued that tariff concessions would benefit importers “at the direct expense of manufacturers on the front lines of the COVID-19 response and send a demoralizing message.”