Art of steel? Don pal sold before levy

PRESIDENT TRUMP’S billionaire buddy Carl Icahn dumped $31.3 million in steelrelated stock days before the White House announced intentions to impose steep tariffs on steel imports.

In a recent Securities and Exchange Commission filing, Icahn disclosed that he sold off nearly 1 million shares of Manitowoc Co., a Wisconsin-based global crane manufacturer.

The liberal-leaning Think Progress policy website first reported on the filing Friday.

Wall Street reeled after Trump’s announcement regarding a 25% tariff on steel imports and a 10% tariff on aluminum.

Manitowoc stock tanked, losing roughly 6% of its value.

Icahn (photo) unloaded his shares of the crane company on Feb.12, days before the Commerce Department released a report recommending the tariffs that Trump later championed.

Icahn was not available for comment.

The ultra-wealthy investor was floated as the President’s first choice for Treasury secretary and then-candidate Trump invoked his name often on the campaign trail.

He declined to serve in the Trump administration, but accepted a role as a special adviser on regulation.

Icahn was subpoenaed by federal investigators in November over questions about his position as an informal adviser .

The 81-year-old stepped down from the post last summer after Democratic lawmakers argued that his appointment skirted ethics standards and raised concerns about his attempts to influence biofuel policy.

Icahn, one of the richest men in the word and worth an estimated $17 billion, owns a majority stake in CVR Refining, an oil refining company.

Icahn told CNBC on Thursday that he was not worried by Trump’s tough talk on trade.

“I’m not concerned about a trade war,” Icahn said. “I think the major thing you have to worry about and think about is creeping inflation.”