President Joe Biden announced new tariffs on China Tuesday, impacting Chinese imports into the United States of steel, semiconductors, electric vehicles, solar cells, critical minerals, batteries, battery parts, cranes and medical products.
"China is flooding global markets with artificially low-priced exports. In response to China’s unfair trade practices and to counteract the resulting harms, today, President Biden is directing his Trade Representative to increase tariffs under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 on $18 billion of imports from China to protect American workers and businesses," the White House released in an early morning "fact sheet."
I just imposed a series of tariffs on goods made in China:
— President Biden (@POTUS) May 14, 2024
25% on steel and aluminum,
50% on semiconductors,
100% on EVs,
And 50% on solar panels.
China is determined to dominate these industries.
I'm determined to ensure America leads the world in them.
President Donald Trump and his campaign wasted no time slamming the move, calling it an election year ploy to make up for bad and failed policy.
President Trump SLAMS Biden's TOTAL FLIP FLOP on Tariffs: I said where have you been for 3½ years? They should have done it a long time ago. China is eating our lunch - and they went away from what I was doing... it was VERY BAD for the auto industry. pic.twitter.com/W9F5jBceGm
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) May 14, 2024
"Joe Biden's action today is a weak and futile attempt to distract from the grievous harm his insane Electric Vehicle mandate is doing to the U.S. auto industry and how his radical policies are wiping out thousands of American auto jobs. The fact that these tariffs do not apply to gas-powered cars and trucks but only to Chinese EVs shows that this has nothing to do with protecting American Workers. It's all about Crooked Joe's agenda of killing gas-powered automobiles while forcing Americans into ultra-expensive Electric Vehicles they don't want and can't afford. If Joe Biden truly wanted to help U.S. auto workers, he would announce that he is rescinding his ridiculous EV mandate effective immediately," the Trump campaign released in a statement.
"Far from being tough on China, Joe Biden is giving Chinese companies hundreds of billions of dollars in U.S. taxpayer subsidies through his so-called Inflation Reduction Act. The entire Green New Scam is a Biden giveaway to Crooked Joe's Chinese masters. Americans who want to end Biden's betrayals and truly stand up for American Workers will vote for President Trump," they continued.
During Tuesday's White House press briefing, Biden administration officials couldn't explain how they'll prevent China from getting around the tariffs by shipping through Mexico.
US Trade Rep. Katherine Tai is, once again, asked about China evading tariffs by going through Mexico.
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) May 14, 2024
Reporter: "You said 'stay tuned.' Are you saying there could be some changes to the USMCA rules...?"
Tai: "What I'm saying is, the fact pattern that'd developing is one… pic.twitter.com/5bv25nnD9F
Tai also had a hard time reconciling criticism of Trump's tariffs on China with Biden's latest move.
Reporter: "You said the president has been consistent on this issue. BUT, back in 2019, [Biden] said any freshman economic student could tell you that the American people are paying [Trump's] tariffs...And he also said that he would reverse what he called 'senseless policies.'… pic.twitter.com/7IQTN8XuKq
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) May 14, 2024
KJP steps in to save US Trade Rep. Tai when she's asked about Trump’s criticism of the new tariffs, which he described as "weak and futile." pic.twitter.com/i1s2bGWjnS
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) May 14, 2024