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Trump Looks to Impose Additional $100B in Tariffs on China

Announcement facing opposition from inside the party

President Donald Trump said Thursday that he is weighing an additional $100 billion in tariffs on China, raising the stakes in a potential trade war his top aides have tried to downplay according to a report at NBC News.

The president ordered the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to explore the new trade penalties, beyond the $50 billion in U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports the White House announced Tuesday. China earlier this week announced $50 billion in tariffs on American goods.

"Rather than remedy its misconduct, China has chosen to harm our farmers and manufacturers. In light of China's unfair retaliation, I have instructed the USTR to consider whether $100 billion of additional tariffs would be appropriate ... and, if so, to identify the products upon which to impose such tariffs," the president said in a statement released Thursday evening.

"I have also instructed the Secretary of Agriculture, with the support of other members of my Cabinet, to use his broad authority to implement a plan to protect our farmers and agricultural interests."

According to a report at The Hill, Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) slammed President Trump's announcement Thursday that he was considering imposing $100 billion in tariffs on China amid the ongoing trade dispute between Washington and Beijing, calling it "nuts and dumb."

“Hopefully the President is just blowing off steam again but, if he's even half-serious, this is nuts," Sasse said in a statement. "China is guilty of many things, but the President has no actual plan to win right now."

"He’s threatening to light American agriculture on fire. Let’s absolutely take on Chinese bad behavior, but with a plan that punishes them instead of us. This is the dumbest possible way to do this," he continued.

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