Updated January 15, 2020 Corruption & Self-Dealing
Major Abuse of Power
Trade Wars and Steel Tariffs: Harming Allies While Failing to Rebuild Manufacturing
Trump's Section 232 and Section 301 tariffs disrupted U.S. trade relationships with allies and adversaries alike. The steel and aluminum tariffs targeted Canada, the EU, Japan, and South Korea — treaty allies — under a national security designation that even many Republicans criticized as pretextual. Retaliatory tariffs by China on soybeans, pork, and other agricultural goods caused severe damage to American farmers, requiring $28 billion in emergency agricultural assistance.