New Tariffs Will Hurt American Prosperity

(Arlington, VA) – Today Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced that the United States would impose tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum from a number of U.S. allies, due to a finding that these imports harm national security. Trading partners including the European Union and Mexico have responded that they will impose retaliatory tariffs on sales of American products such as liquor, motorcycles, steel, pork bellies, apples, grapes, and others.

President of The LIBRE Initiative, Daniel Garza, released the following statement:

“American families and workers benefit when governments remove barriers to trade, and they are hurt when governments raise barriers. These trade barriers raise the prices of products that people consume every day, and they raise the prices of products that we try to sell abroad – hurting job growth and economic opportunity. The only people who benefit from tariffs and other trade barriers are the politically-connected special interests from favored industries.

Policymakers need to focus on removing tariffs and other barriers, so our economy is healthier and our people are more prosperous. These tariffs take us in precisely the wrong direction.”

For interviews with a representative from the LIBRE Initiative, please contact Brian Faughnan, 202-805-1581 or Wadi Gaitan, 202-853-4463

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