White House may be near decision on steel imports
Foreign policy roundup
WASHINGTON — The White House is on the cusp of a major decision about whether to impose new restrictions on steel imports, a choice that has divided President Donald Trump’s administration while sparking global fears about a burgeoning trade war.
The Commerce Department has for months been evaluating whether steel imports pose a threat to national security, and it is expected within days to present Mr. Trump with its finding and a recommendation. Mr. Trump could quickly adopt its prescription or decide on a different course.
Based on its decision, the White House could impose new steel tariffs, import quotas or a combination of the two, said senior administration officials speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal divisions.
The move could provide relief for a domestic steel industry that says it badly needs it, but it could also raise steel costs at every step of the supply chain — increasing prices for consumers and many of the manufacturing industries Mr. Trump promised to protect. Additionally, the move has the potential to upset some of the country’s closest international allies, and it could spark a set of retaliatory trade moves against U.S. companies trying to sell their products abroad.
Restrictions on steel imports would be Mr. Trump’s strongest move yet to fulfill his campaign promise to radically alter U.S. trade policy, but there has been a big divide within the Trump administration. The Defense Department and National Economic Council have raised concerns about economic and diplomatic fallout from protectionist moves.
Top advisers were scrambling to alter the final decision as late as last week.
Kushner peace push
Jared Kushner, Mr. Trump’s senior adviser and son-in-law, will travel to the Middle East this week to push for a peace deal between the Israelis and the Palestinians, according to a White House official.
Mr. Kushner plans to travel to Israel on Wednesday for meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem. He will also meet with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah, according to the official, who requested anonymity.
Collision probed
Japan’s coast guard is investigating why it took nearly an hour for a deadly collision between a U.S. Navy destroyer and a container ship to be reported.
The Philippine-flagged ACX Crystal collided early Saturday morning with the USS Fitzgerald off Japan’s coast, killing seven of the destroyer’screw of nearly 300.