WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Warning of collateral damage from President Donald Trump's planned tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., is urging the administration to take a 'more targeted' approach.
'There is clearly abuse occurring, clearly there is overcapacity dumping in transshipping of steel and aluminum by some countries, particularly China,' Ryan said at a press conference on Tuesday. 'But I think the smarter way to go is to make it more surgical and more targeted.'
Ryan added that he was encouraged that the administration plans to 'focus on what is clearly a legitimate problem and be more surgical in its approach so we can go after the true abuses without creating any unintended consequences or collateral damage.'
The comments from Ryan come after a spokeswoman for the speaker said he is urging the White House not to advance with the planned tariffs.
'The new tax reform law has boosted the economy and we certainly don't want to jeopardize those gains,' spokeswoman AshLee Strong said in a statement on Monday.
Nonetheless, Trump told reporters that he was not backing down on the proposed tariffs, claiming that the U.S. has been ripped off by virtually every country in the world.
Trump shrugged off concerns that the tariffs could lead to a global trade war in a post on Twitter last Friday, saying trade wars are 'good' and 'easy to win.'
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