WSJ: US may lift tariffs on goods not produced domestically

The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is considering the possibility of removing or reducing tariffs on imported goods that are not produced in the United States.

In recent weeks, Trump has exempted dozens of items from so-called retaliatory tariffs and has proposed eliminating tariffs on hundreds more types of goods if the supplying countries reach deals with Washington, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reports, citing sources.

Sources told the newspaper that there is a growing understanding among Trump administration officials that the U.S. should lower tariffs on goods not produced domestically.

The Wall Street Journal notes that this approach differs from earlier statements by U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who said that there would be no exemptions from Trump’s retaliatory tariffs. The shift in policy may indicate that the U.S. administration is preparing for the possibility that in November, the U.S. Supreme Court could refuse to uphold the legality of many of Trump’s tariffs, the newspaper suggests.

By Vugar Khalilov