Watchdog raises red flags about Trump tariff exemption process
(CNN) - An internal government watchdog has flagged the lack of transparency in the Trump administration's tariff exemption process, saying it "contributes to the appearance of improper influence in decision-making." "We believe these issues give the perception that the Section 232 exclusion request review process is neither transparent nor objective," the memo said. But some importers have complained that the review process is opaque. The Trump administration started to impose tariffs on foreign steel and aluminum in early 2018 to protect domestic manufactures. At first, the tariffs gave the US steel industry a boost as the price of American steel jumped and production grew.