Biden considers lifting some of Trump's tariffs on China
In hopes of lifting the US inflation, the Biden administration looks to lift some of former President Trump's imposed tariffs on China.
US President Joe Biden is considering lifting some of the tariffs that his predecessor, Donald Trump, imposed on China, Axios reported on Tuesday, citing sources in the know.
Last week, Biden reportedly discussed the issue with some key members of his cabinet. Although no final decision has been made, an official announcement is expected by the end of June, according to the report.
The White House is expected to direct the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to initiate a formal "exclusions process" to determine whether certain items, such as bicycles, should be exempt from tariffs. At the same time, according to the report, Biden is less likely to include steel, aluminum, or other large industrial goods on this list.
The removal of Trump's tariffs on China may have only a minor impact on the Consumer Price Index. That is why some administration members, including USTR Katherine Tai, want to maintain leverage over Beijing, according to the report.
According to White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, Biden is actively considering a variety of options to ease US trade tariffs imposed on China in order to help alleviate US inflation.
The Biden administration is discussing some of former President Donald Trump's "irresponsible" tariffs, White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Tuesday.
"We have said from the beginning, some Trump’s tariffs were irresponsible and do not advance economic or national security. We are discussing this and working to align these tariffs," Jean-Pierre said when asked to confirm media reports that the White House is leaning toward removing some of the tariffs on Chinese goods.
She went on to say that the White House's top priority is to protect the interests of American workers. Jean-Pierre refused to reveal the specifics of the ongoing discussions. "I'm afraid I don't have anything to say. This is something we're talking about internally," she said.