Republicans Who Opposed Trump’s Broad Tariffs Support Directly Targeting China

Niv Elis and Vicki Needham, writing at The Hill, round up Republicans who opposed President Donald Trump’s announced tariffs on steel and aluminum imports who now signal openness to a narrower package of duties levied solely on America’s strategic competitor, China.

From The Hill:

Republican lawmakers who broadly shunned President Trump’s wide-ranging steel and aluminum tariffs are expressing more optimism about a potential new round of trade actions that specifically target China.

While some are urging caution out of fears of sparking a trade war with Beijing, others are signaling confidence in such an approach, characterizing China as the justified target of any punitive trade measures.

“Obviously there’s a huge difference,” said Rep. Tom Rice (R-S.C.), a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, which oversees trade.

“I think that the retaliatory tariffs are there for a reason, to deal with bad actors. I don’t think anybody argues that China hasn’t taken advantage of us, and that it hasn’t hurt the American middle class,” he added.

Read the rest of the story here.