The American steel industry will be “reinvigorated” by President Donald J. Trump’s tariffs on steel imports, writes Steel Manufacturers Association President Philip K. Bell in today’s Pittsburgh Post-Gazette — describing how President Trump’s action to close loopholes and exemptions will strengthen the critical industry.
“The American steel industry, in other words, is going in reverse, primarily because of increasing imports from exempt countries and product exclusions. With global overcapacity soaring, foreign producers everywhere will take advantage of any gaps in America’s tariffs to find an outlet for their excess steel in the U.S. market.
The harmful impact of a ton of imported steel sold at the domestic industry’s expense does not depend on whether it comes from an ‘ally’ or ‘adversary’ country.
A stable supply of domestically produced steel is more important than ever to America’s national, economic and energy security. In the face of the considerable pressure likely to come to exempt certain countries and weaken the tariffs, the president has stayed strong and continued to put America first on steel trade.”