Trump economic adviser Larry Kudlow said Wednesday that the administration might delay a decision on whether to apply tariffs to auto and auto parts imports.
President Trump has been expected to deliver a decision by late May, when a 90-day deadline would be reached, but Kudlow indicated that it may come much later than that.
“No decisions have been made. By the way, under certain sections — obviously I’m not a lawyer, but I’ve listened to lawyers — that 90 days could stretch out quite a while if need be,” Kudlow told reporters at an event hosted by the Christian Science Monitor, when asked about the auto tariff decision.
Kudlow was referring to a Commerce Department report that was delivered to the White House on Feb. 17 detailing whether the administration should impose auto tariffs in order to protect national security. The report’s findings have been kept secret but are widely assumed to back tariffs. The president has 90 days to act on the report’s findings, meaning a decision was expected by May 20.
Trump has long threatened to slap 25% tariffs on autos and auto parts imports. The Commerce Department report was originally prepared last year but was put on hold for months after European Union officials, who would be among those most affected by the tariffs, agreed to new trade talks. The talks are expected to be undertaken sometime later this year. The administration is currently in talks with China on trade matters, and the EU talks are expected to take place after the China ones are concluded.
