White House trade adviser Peter Navarro lashed out at the media Sunday for its coverage of President Trump’s decision to introduce tariffs on steel and aluminum imports into the U.S., accusing reporters of stoking concerns about possible “trade wars” with global allies as a result of the policy.
“I think what we need to do here is keep the rhetoric down. It would be helpful if the media didn’t have all these crazy headlines about trade wars,” Navarro told “Fox News Sunday” when asked whether he was worried trade partners would retaliate if the Trump administration proceeded with the tariffs of 25 percent on steel imports and 10 percent on aluminum imports.
But host Chris Wallace pointed out President Trump himself wrote on social media Friday “trade wars were good and easy to win.”
“The talk of trade wars” is not “an invention of the media,” Wallace said.
“You guys are fanning flames here,” Navarro responded.
“I’m fanning the flames?” Wallace replied. “I didn’t write the presidential tweet.”
Navarro said “downstream effects” of the tariffs would be “insignificant.”
“The mission here is to preserve our steel and aluminum industries for national security and economic security,” he said. “We are the free trading-est nation in the world … All we are asking for is fair and reciprocal trade.”
Peter Navarro, White House Trade Adviser: “The downstream effects of steel and aluminum tariffs are insignificant and the mission here is to preserve our steel and aluminum industries for national security and economic security.” pic.twitter.com/AkIstlh4GM
— Pat Ward (@WardDPatrick) March 4, 2018
