{"id":59021,"date":"2018-03-09T01:21:58","date_gmt":"2018-03-09T01:21:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/03\/09\/mccain-joins-defense-voices-slamming-trump-tariffs\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T22:32:36","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T22:32:36","slug":"mccain-joins-defense-voices-slamming-trump-tariffs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2018\/03\/09\/mccain-joins-defense-voices-slamming-trump-tariffs\/","title":{"rendered":"McCain joins defense voices slamming Trump tariffs"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 President Donald Trump\u2019s aluminum and steel tariffs<\/a> are aimed at improving national security, but Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain has added his voice to those saying it will do just the opposite<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPresident Trump\u2019s contention that steel and aluminum imports are threatening our national security and defense industrial base is simply not supported by the evidence,\u201d McCain, R-Ariz., said in a statement Thursday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Citing Defense Department statistics, McCain said U.S. military requirements for steel and aluminum each represent only about 3 percent of U.S. production. DoD assesses that its programs are able to acquire all the steel and aluminum necessary to meet national defense requirements, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn fact, by potentially triggering significant increases in the price of steel and aluminum, President Trump\u2019s new tariffs could harm our national defense by raising the cost of production for critical military systems needed to sustain the United States\u2019 comparative military advantage against our adversaries, from ships, to armored vehicles, to fighter aircraft,\u201d McCain said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

McCain said the tariffs would hurt the American economy, American workers, and relations with America\u2019s allies and partners. A free trade proponent, he also rapped Trump for withdrawing from the Trans-Pacific Partnership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unswayed by Republican warnings of a trade war, Trump ordered steep new tariffs on steel and aluminum imports to the U.S. on Thursday, vowing to fight back against an \u201cassault on our country\u201d by foreign competitors. The president said he would exempt Canada and Mexico while negotiating for changes to the North American Free Trade Agreement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A host of Republicans have expressed deep concerns about the tariffs. One, Arizona Republican Sen. Jeff Flake, has threatened to introduce legislation to nullify them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In announcing the tariffs at the White House, Trump said they were justified on national security grounds, because crucial military hardware is made using those metals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA strong steel and aluminum industry are vital to our national security,\u201d Trump said. \u201cAbsolutely vital. Steel is steel. If you don\u2019t have steel, you don\u2019t have a country.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aerospace Industries Association President and CEO Eric Fanning reacted swiftly, voicing concern the tariffs would hinder U.S. defense and aerospace manufacturers from staying competitive internationally. The 10 percent aluminum tariff is projected to cost U.S. manufacturing $2 billion unnecessarily, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are disappointed that the President has decided to move forward with tariffs on steel and aluminum,\u201d Fanning said in a statement. \u201cOur industry employs 2.4 million people and produced a trade surplus of $86 billion last year. Tariffs on aluminum and steel would jeopardize that surplus and put those jobs at risk.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re committed to President Trump\u2019s vision of a healthy and robust manufacturing and defense industrial base,\u201d Fanning\u2019s statement read. \u201cWe look forward to working with the Administration and Congress to find better solutions to strengthen American industry.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ahead of the announcement, seven Senate Republicans sent Trump a letter warning his tariffs would endanger national security, America\u2019s alliances and the success of the new national defense strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The senators included SASC Emerging Threats and Capabilities Chairwoman Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, SASC Cybersecurity Subcommittee Chairman Mike Rounds, and Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re on the verge of a painful and stupid trade war, and that\u2019s bad,\u201d said another SASC member, Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SASC member Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., said the directive, \u201ccontinues to jeopardize strategic relationships with key American allies and I\u2019m very concerned about the damage this could cause.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, ahead of the announcement, said he worried broad tariffs would hurt the U.S. defense-industrial base, antagonize longtime allies and assist geopolitical adversaries like Russia and China.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTariffs are a bad idea,\u201d Inside Defense quoted Thornberry as saying. \u201cIt will increase the cost of building ships and airplanes. What I worry most about, however, are the geo-strategic implications. If we make it more difficult for allies to work with us, to trade with us, then we are promoting China\u2019s and Russia\u2019s best interests as they try to undercut us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

House Armed Services Seapower Subcommittee Chairman Rob Wittman, R-Va., told the Washington Examiner the tariffs would not hurt Navy shipbuilding because U.S. submarines and aircraft carriers use \u201chigher quality, American-made steel.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHowever, we can\u2019t forget how this decision will [affect] other American businesses,\u201d Wittman said. \u201cFree trade is extremely important and I have deep reservations about how this decision could affect our economy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t