US working to spare Australia from its new steel, aluminium tariffs: Trump

Washington: The United States is working to exempt ally Australia from its newly unveiled foreign steel and aluminium tariffs, President Donald Trump said on Saturday, tying the effort to a security agreement.

Major US trading partners have condemned Trump’s decision to impose the punitive tariffs as protectionism and an affront to allies, amid growing fears of a global trade



war.

After a telephone conversation with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Trump said the Australian leader “is committed to having a very fair and reciprocal military and trade relationship.”

“Working very quickly on a security agreement so we don’t have to impose steel or aluminium tariffs on our ally, the great nation of Australia!” the American president added.