A White House spokeswoman said yesterday that Trump would make remarks at the exhibit designed to demonstrate the administration’s “commitment to ensuring more products are made in America.” Vice President Mike Pence, six Cabinet secretaries, and some dozen other senior officials will also attend.
The US Commerce Department held a hearing on Thursday into its investigation over whether imported vehicles and parts pose a national security risk. All major automakers, including Ford Motor Co, which will have an F-150 pickup truck on display at the White House exhibit, oppose imposing vehicle and parts tariffs of up to 25%.
Trump told CNBC on Friday he was ready to impose tariffs on all US$500 billion (RM2 trillion) of imported goods from China, threatening to escalate a clash over trade policy that has unnerved financial markets. Washington has already imposed 25% duties on US$34 billion (RM138 billion) of Chinese imports and threatened 10% tariffs on US$200 billion (RM810 billion) of Chinese goods. China has retaliated on US$34 billion (RM138 billion) of US goods.
Citing national security, Washington imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from the European Union, Canada, and Mexico on June 1.
On Wednesday, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker will meet with Trump. EU officials have dampened expectations about what Juncker can achieve.
The finance ministers for Mexico and Canada said yesterday they were optimistic about Nafta talks with the United States, even as trade tensions spurred by US tariffs dominated the G20 meeting of world economic leaders in Argentina.
Other products to be displayed at the White House today include Wiffle balls and bats from Connecticut, Viking Range LLC stoves from Mississippi, and Moon Pies sweets from Tennessee.
The White House will also show off cookie cutters from Vermont, pepperoni rolls from West Virginia, jeans from Oklahoma, gun safes from Utah, snowboards from Colorado, and livestock feed from Iowa.
Lockheed Martin, which will display a model of the F-35 on the White House lawn, will also showcase the Orion Spacecraft, “the cornerstone of Nasa’s future missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond,” the company said.