President Donald Trump signed a memorandum ordering his advisers to calculate new tariff levels for other countries globally, directing his advisers to come up with new tariff levels that take into account a range of trade barriers and other economic approaches adopted by America’s trading partners, reported The New York Times’ Ana Swanson. The president has said the step was necessary to even out America’s “unfair” relationships, but made clear that his ultimate goal was to force companies to bring their manufacturing back to the United States, being quoted as having said during remarks in the Oval Office: “If you build your product in the United States, there are no tariffs.” Howard Lutnick, the president’s nominee for commerce secretary, and Jamieson Greer, his pick for trade representative, will come up with the numbers “quickly,” in concert with other advisers, an unnamed White House official is quoted as having said in a call with reporters.
