Peter Navarro contends new tariffs aim to stop ‘abused’ country exemptions

Published February 11, 2025 3:10pm ET



Peter Navarro, President Donald Trump‘s senior counselor for trade and manufacturing, argued that the president’s tariffs on steel and aluminum imports are meant to hold countries accountable for abusing exemptions the United States has given to other countries.

Trump signed off on new tariffs on steel and aluminum imports to 25% on Monday, a move the president argued would be “making America rich again.” Explaining the president’s reasoning, Navarro explained that former President Joe Biden, on his “sleepy watch,” saw multiple exemptions granted to other countries, which created “a flood of aluminum and steel” into the U.S.

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