Voices, Votes & Vision: The Latest in Politics & Public Policy
- White House seeks to avoid an all-out trade war as backlash grows from Canada and the EU.
- President Donald Trump doubled tariffs on steel and aluminum to a 50% rate effective Wednesday.
- Senators debate the president’s sweeping "big, beautiful bill" with GOP divisions; Rand Paul objects to a $5 trillion debt increase.
- Bill unlikely to get Democratic support; Chuck Schumer calls it a giveaway, lawmakers rush to meet the July 4 deadline.
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – Tensions are rising over trade between the United States and some of its closest allies and now, President Donald Trump is walking a fine line with China, one of America’s biggest trading partners.
The White House is trying to avoid an all-out trade war, especially with China, as backlash builds from other key trading partners, like Canada and the EU. Meanwhile, President Trump is also facing challenges at home with one of his signature bills hitting resistance in the Senate.
I can confirm that the two leaders will likely talk this week. And as always, when there are foreign leader calls, we will provide a readout of those calls,” said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
The president has doubled tariffs on steel and aluminum imports with the new 50% rate set to take effect Wednesday.
“If you don’t have steel, you don’t have a country. You don’t have a country. You can’t make a military. What are we gonna do, say let’s go to China to get our steel for the army tanks,” said Trump.
Meanwhile, on Capitol Hill, senators are working through what the president has called his “big, beautiful bill,” a sweeping legislative package.
“Failure is not an option,” said Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas.).
Not all Republicans are on board. Kentucky Senator Rand Paul is raising red flags over the cost.
“It also raises the debt ceiling $5 trillion and I’m not for that,” said Paul.
The bill is not expected to get any Democratic support.
“It’s betraying our values, it’s a threat to working families, and it’s a giveaway to the very few at the expense of the many,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.).
Lawmakers are under pressure to get the president’s top legislative priority across the finish line by the July 4th deadline.
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