U.S Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross on Thursday attributed a series of concessions by the European Union this week to the steel and aluminum tariffs imposed by President Trump, saying the president’s tough stance on trade brought allies to the table even as some Republicans questioned his strategy.
“If we hadn’t had steel and aluminum tariffs, we never would have gotten to the point we are now. This is a real vindication of the president’s trade policy,” Ross told reporters aboard Air Force One, as he and Trump prepared to participate in a workforce development event in Dubuque, Iowa.
Trump and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker announced in joint remarks at the White House on Wednesday that the U.S. and its European allies had agreed to establish an executive council to help guide trade negotiations going forward, and that both parties would be working toward the goal of “zero” tariffs, subsidies and quotas in their trade relationship.
Trump also said the Europeans planned to increase soybean and energy imports from the U.S., a move that could provide a much-needed boost to American farmers who have struggled under the administration’s trade policy.
Ross on Thursday said it was unclear how long it would take for the U.S. to strike a formal trade deal with the EU. He reiterated that no automobile tariffs will be imposed on European vehicles while trade talks are underway.
“Normally, trade discussions take months,” he said, adding that the president hopes to move through the process “much faster.”
Thursday’s visit to the Midwest by the president and several top administration officials comes amid complaints by farmers and unions in the region that Trump’s escalating trade dispute with China, and his tariffs on European goods, have hurt the agriculture industry. The president is scheduled to visit a steel town in Illinois following his stop in Iowa.
