ACA, NRF urge Trump not to raise tariffs on Chinese goods

WASHINGTON—The Auto Care Association and the National Retail Federation are among those urging President Trump not to make good on his threat to raise tariffs from 10 percent to 25 percent on some $200 billion worth of goods.

Those goods include tires, manufactured rubber goods, rubber chemicals, and synthetic and natural rubbers.

Trump unveiled the higher tariffs, along with new 25 percent tariffs on another $325 billion worth of goods, in two tweets May 5."For 10 months, China has been paying Tariffs to the USA of 25% on 50 Billion Dollars of High Tech, and 10% on 200 Billion Dollars of other goods," the president wrote. "These payments are partially responsible for our great economic results."Domestic Product by 0.37 percent.

Trump originally planned to institute the higher tariffs March 1, but postponed them in late February pending the results of trade talks with China.

His latest tweets seemed to threaten the continuation of those talks, but Chinese authorities said May 6 they would still send a delegation to the U.S. that week.

The ACA, which has opposed the tariffs from the beginning, issued a statement May 6 urging the president to reconsider.

The organization said it supports the Trump administration's efforts to combat China's unfair trade practices, but opposes the use of tariffs as a negotiating strategy.

"The proposed sudden increase from 10 percent to 25 percent would have an immediate negative impact not only on the U.S. businesses that manufacture and distribute these parts, but the motoring public who will see higher prices on a wide range of products," said Bill Hanvey, ACA president and CEO .

David French, NRF senior vice president for government relations, said his organization also opposes tariffs.

"Tariffs are taxes paid by American businesses and consumers, not by China," French said.

French cited a recent report stating that the 25 percent tariffs would cost the U.S. 934,000 jobs, cost the average U.S. family $767 and reduce the Gross