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Grassley disagrees with Trump tariff strategy

The Senate Finance Committee Chairman says he agrees with President Trump on the trade issues with China. Senator Chuck Grassley says, “I applaud President Trump for confronting China decisively, and I urge him and President Xi to reach a deal that results in structural changes to China’s discriminatory policy and practices.”

But, Grassley says he does not like Trump’s policy of using tariffs as a bargaining tool. “To be clear, American importers and consumers are paying for these tariffs. Twenty-two billion dollars out of the pockets of hard-working Americans is not in our national interest. I urge the administration to do everything it can to use tariffs as a last-resort option.

Grassley spoke during the committee’s hearing with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and told him the EU must negotiate on ag trade. “I’ve said this before. Any deal with the EU that doesn’t include agriculture will not get through the United States Congress.”

Grassley encouraged Lighthizer to work quickly to reach trade deals with the EU, Japan, and China.