AFL-CIO chief praises Trump's Trade Policies

AFL-CIO chief praises Trump's Trade Policies - The Hill

AFL-CIO chief Richard Trumka says that President Trump's tariffs are a step in the right direction, saying he believes they can lead to rewriting the rules of global trade.

"[Trump] understands that's what should be done," Trumka said on Wednesday morning, during an event in Washington, D.C., hosted by the Christian Science Monitor. "We reject the notion that it's either free trade or protectionism."

He added, however, that Trump's tariffs should be more targeted, saying he didn't he agree with the decision to levy tariffs on Canada. The qualified praise of Trump's controversial trade policies from a labor union federation with deep ties to the Democratic Party is the latest indicator of how Trump is shifting party politics.

Congressional Republicans have by and large rejected Trump's approach of imposing steep tariffs on allies and adversaries alike, even introducing legislation that would limit some of his trade authority.

But Trumka said that the measures and the retaliatory tariffs imposed by China, Canada, Mexico and the E.U. were ultimately small potatoes. "The hysteria about 'there's a trade war and the sky is falling' is simply inaccurate and does a disservice to the country," he said, adding that tough measures against China were particularly welcome