If the Trump administration’s aluminum tariffs are prompted by national security concerns, why does the U.S. depend completely on imports for bauxite? If the Trump administration’s aluminum tariffs are prompted by national security concerns, why does the U.S. depend completely on imports for bauxite? If true national security is the goal, then this doesn’t go far enough. The Commerce Department defined national security broadly enough to justify tariffs on almost anything—or nothing: Anything that weakens the “internal economy” hurts national security, and 16 sectors from food and agriculture to health care must be protected. It asked for an exemption from the tariff which, if granted, would further illustrate the porosity of the “national security” definition.

Source: Wall Street Journal March 09, 2018 16:18 UTC