This culminated last week. But the war — between Peter Navarro’s economic nationalist camp and Gary Cohn’s free trader-cohort — has been roiling the White House for months.
It came to a head in the Oval Office in January of this year, when Cohn, Navarro, Rob Porter, Wilbur Ross and John Kelly sat in chairs around the Resolute Desk for another standoff.
Zhang Yesui, China's vice foreign minister and former ambassador to the United States, sounded a clear warning in response to the steep new tariffs on steel and aluminum that President Trump is expected to announce soon.
China does not want a trade war with the US ... [But] we will not sit idly by and will take necessary measures if the US hurts China’s interests.
— Zhang Yesui, Chinese vice foreign minister
The latest: The tariffs will hurt U.S. allies like Canada and the UK, who Trump's top trade advisers have said will not be exempt.
U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May spoke with President Trump Sunday morning and expressed "deep concern" regarding the 25% steel and 10% aluminum tariffs that the president is expected to announce, per her office.
The backdrop: Trump's top trade advisers said today that no U.S. allies would be granted exemptions from the tariffs.
Sen. Lindsey Graham urged President Trump to reconsider his decision to issue steel and aluminum tariffs in an interview on CBS' "Face the Nation."
His case: China is causing the problem Trump wants to solve, but this policy will hurt allies and U.S. consumers far more than China.
But, but, but: The next guest on Face the Nation was Sen. Joe Manchin, a Democrat. Manchin said he generally supports Trump's move because it will protect American jobs — a sign of how this issue cuts across party lines.
Peter Navarro, President Trump's top adviser on trade, said on CNN's "State of the Union" that Trump will sign tariffs on steel and aluminum this week, or the following week at "the latest," and "at this point in time there's no country exclusions."
Why it matters: These tariffs could hit allies like Canada, South Korea and the U.K. hard, and they're hoping Trump will make exceptions in their cases. According to Navarro, that's not the plan.
Aides describe Trump as "uncontrollable" ... and "see a president isolated and on edge" — WashPost front-pager by Phil Rucker, Ashley Parker and Josh Dawsey:
"Trump’s friends are increasingly concerned about his well-being, worried that the president’s obsession with cable commentary and perceived slights is taking a toll on the 71-year-old. 'Pure madness,' lamented one exasperated ally."
President Trump tweeted on Saturday afternoon that if the European Union increases tariffs on U.S. companies, the U.S. will apply "a Tax on their Cars which freely pour into the U.S."
Why it matters: This is what you'd call a trade war. This has been the primary concern since Trump announced new tariffs on steel and aluminum this week. But per Axios' Mike Allen and Jonathan Swan, tariffs are what Trump has wanted and now he's feeling like a man of steel.
