Haslam worried about Trump’s move toward imposing new tariffs on imported vehicles and parts

Excerpt from a Times Free Press report: Add Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam to the list of elected Republican officials alarmed by President Donald Trump’s plans to look at using national security laws to impose heavy tariffs on imported vehicles and parts.

“I’m concerned,” the governor told reporters Friday after a Memorial Day ceremony in Nashville. “I do worry about that. There’s no question that would mean cost increases for a lot of folks.”

Tennessee is home to three major auto assembly plants — the Chattanooga-based Volkswagen facility, Smyrna-based Nissan and a General Motors plant in Spring Hill. Some components they use are imported.

… Haslam said he is “one of those who believes in the free market, and I think we can hold our own. I think we’re making cars here now that can compete with anybody in the world, and we’re making cars here in Tennessee that can compete with anyone. I’m just not certain that using the national security reasons to put a tariff on cars is the right path.”

… U.S. Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., rang the alarm bell Thursday, accusing Trump of abusing his authority to cite national security as an excuse to slap tariffs on foreign-made vehicles, as well as parts.

And Sen. Lamar Alexander did the same. Previous post HERE.