Donald Trump has rejected Australia’s plea for an exemption from US tariffs on steel and aluminium imports, which were scheduled to begin on Wednesday.
“He considered it and considered against it. There will be no exemptions,” the White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, told Australian media in Washington overnight.
“American-first steel. And if they want to be exempted, they should consider moving steel manufacturing here.”
The global 25% tariff regime was due to come into effect at midnight US time.
Trump had said he would give “great consideration” to an exemption for Australian metals after a phone call with the prime minister, Anthony Albanese. Australian officials have lobbied Washington in the weeks since Trump announced the new tariff regime in an attempt to secure a carve-out.
A spokesperson for the Australian government said on Wednesday morning that it had “been working hard at all levels to secure an exemption”.
“We remain in discussion with the United States administration, and will have more to say.”
The levies are part of a broader suite of tariffs Trump has vowed to pursue to level what he regards as an unfair global trading regime.
He said this week the tariffs would enrich the US: “We’re going to take in hundreds of billions of dollars in tariffs, and we’re going to become so rich, you’re not going to know where to spend all that money.”
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Overnight Trump threatened to raise the tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminium to 50% from 25%. There are also forecast tariffs on pharmaceuticals and agricultural products that could have an even greater impact on Australian exporters.
More details soon
– with AAP