U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement last Thursday that the United States would impose hefty tariffs on imported steel and aluminum to protect American producers, has stoked fears of a global trade war. <br />Trump appears unbowed by broad international and domestic criticism,... with his team saying he has no plans to exempt any countries from the tariff duties. <br />Park Soyun reports. <br /> President Trump's announcement of sweeping tariffs on steel and aluminum imports has sparked fears of a global trade war and triggered turmoil across the American economy. <br />U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said on Sunday that Trump is not planning on exempting any countries from the tariff duties. <br />Ross told ABC News that President Trump has had conversations with a number of world leaders, when asked if the President would consider exempting allies, such as South Korea, Canada and Mexico.<br /><br /> "I know that a lot of ministers from a lot of countries have been talking with the president. They've been talking with me. They've been talking with others. We'll see. The president makes the decisions."<br /><br /> White House trade adviser Peter Navarro said no countries will be excluded from the tariffs, saying there's a "difference between exemptions and country exclusions."<br />He said there will be an exemption procedure for particular cases, but there will be no country exclusions at this point in time.<br /> President Trump announced last Thursday that the U.S. would slap tariffs of 25 percent on steel imports and ten percent on aluminum, respectively. <br />Senator Lindsey Graham and a growing number of Republicans and business groups have criticized Trump's tariff plans. <br />The Federation of Korean Industries is also urging 565 U.S. lawmakers and officials to press the Trump administration to reconsider its new policies.<br /> The tariffs are expected to hit South Korea hard, sharply raising prices of South Korean exports and hurting their price competitiveness against American manufacturers.<br />Park Soyun, Arirang News. <br />
