Over 60 US industry groups formed a coalition “Americans for Free Trade” to launch a campaign against Trump’s abusive use of tariffs and trade policies. Business groups have already expressed they objections to the tariffs on USD 200B of Chinese goods in the public hearing that ended last week. But instead of listening to what the Americans said, Trump raised the stakes last Friday by warning that tariffs on another USD 267B in Chines imports are “ready to go on short notice”.
The coalition involves almost every sector of the US economy, with heavy weight names represented including Exxon Mobil Corp and Chevron Corp, Target Corp and Autozone Inc., Microsoft Corp, Google owner Alphabet Inc and Apple Inc., Amazon.com, Macy’s Inc and Walmart Inc., IBM Corp and Facebook Inc., Mattel Inc, Hasbro Inc and Barnes & Noble Inc., etc.
Matthew Shay, president of the National Retail Federation, who is helping lead the coalition group warned that “there has been no sign of progress in the talks or de-escalation, simply more rhetoric about increasing tariffs, that’s not going to be good for the economy.” Nicole Vasilaros, the top lobbyist for the National Marine Manufacturers Association, also said the layering effect (of tariffs) has finally gotten everyone to say: ‘Enough is enough.'”
The campaign includes reaching out to lawmakers, buying ads and hosting town hall style meeting in swing states. Also, the coalition is targeting lawmakers in five states as the first step, including Ohio, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Indiana and Tennessee. And, it’s planned to expand to a dozen states by the end of the year.
In a letter to members of Congress, the coalition said “we also strongly encourage Congress to exercise its oversight role on trade policy matters to prevent further harm to U.S. workers, consumers and families that will result from new tariffs — both those already being implemented and future tariffs that have been proposed.”
