Advisors to United States President Donald Trump have said that Australia will not receive an exemption to Trump’s newly imposed tariffs as a major exporter to the United States.
Trump signed an executive order on Monday that would add 25% tariffs to all steel and aluminium exported to the U.S., beginning in March.
While Trump said he would consider an exemption for Australia due to its trade surplus with the U.S., senior counsellor for trade and manufacturing Peter Navarro said this would not be implemented. “Australia is just killing our aluminium market,” he said. “President Trump says no, no, we're not, we're not doing that anymore.”
A proclamation to impose the tariffs was also released after Trump’s executive order, saying: “Australia has disregarded its verbal commitment to voluntarily restrain its aluminium exports to a reasonable level.”
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called Trump this week to discuss a potential exemption, as well as other mutual interests.
“We committed to working constructively together to advance Australian and American interests, drive economic prosperity and face shared challenges,” Albanese said.
Australia is the U.S.’ eighth-largest source of aluminium and 17th-largest source of steel.
The European Union also said this week that it would retaliate against these steel and aluminium tariffs. “Unjustified tariffs on the EU will not go unanswered — they will trigger firm and proportionate countermeasures,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Von der Leyen met with U.S. Vice President JD Vance today, with Vance saying the U.S. “see[s] a lot of economic relationship to build upon with Europe”.
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