President Donald Trump is considering possible exemptions to his 25 percent tariffs on automakers, telling reporters Monday that car companies need more time to reconfigure their supply chains and manufacture vehicles inside the United States.
“I’m looking at something to help some of the car companies,” Trump said in remarks at the Oval Office. “They’re switching to parts that were made in Canada and Mexico and other places, and they need a little bit of time because they’re going to make them here.”
The president has already imposed a 25 percent tariff on auto imports, and duties on parts are scheduled to take effect no later than May 3.
Such a move would be a relief to automakers across the supply chain who rely on foreign imports and could open the door to more industries asking for exemptions.
