Trade policy complications will only be ‘short term,’ White House says

The White House said Wednesday that any U.S. market disruption from President Trump’s get-tough trade policy would be short-lived.

“This is short term. The president hopes to open up a number of different markets and to create a more [level] trading field across the globe,” said White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

Recent economic reports showed jitters across several economic sectors about trade policies that have imposed new tariffs and threatened trade wars with countries from Mexico to Europe.

Manufacturers worry about the impact of tariffs driving up prices. Steel and aluminum prices have risen due and agriculture prices have declined because of the trade skirmishes with China and Mexico.

Early, Mr. Trump said he was “tremendous retribution” if other countries do not heed his demands for more equitable trade deals with the U.S.

Mrs. Sanders said the president was focused on “long-term economic principles.”

“We have one of the strongest economies that we’ve had in decades,” she said. “He continues to look for ways to help protect American workers and he is going to continue to do that on a number of different fronts and in a number of different ways.”