POTUS Delays New Tariffs

President Donald Trump has hit the brakes on new tariffs for auto parts.

ABC News says the president has "delayed any decision to impose tariffs on car and auto-part imports," as such moves may aggravate existing trade disputes and affect ongoing trade talks with Europe and Japan.

Administration press secretary Sarah Sanders says the latest move action follows a Commerce Department review, which found that "imports of automobiles and certain automobile parts threaten to impair U.S. national security." (ABC)

"United States defense and military superiority depend on the competitiveness of our automobile industry and the research and development that industry generates," Ms. Sanders said.

"If agreements are not reached within 180 days, the president will determine whether and what further action needs to be taken."

As ABC notes, while American automakers ostensibly would benefit from a tax on their foreign competitors, many depend on imported parts that could be subject to tariffs and become more expensive.

[Source: ABC News website]