With two months to go until Election Day, U.S. President Donald Trump is trying to make good on a number of trade promises to protect key constituencies in swing states to bolster support for his campaign and vulnerable Senate Republicans.
Mexico on Friday begins issuing pre-approval permits on some steel exports to ensure they aren’t just rerouted from China. The step was negotiated with the U.S. to avoid tariffs that America used against the nation last year on national-security grounds and seems aimed at states that are top producers, including Pennsylvania and North Carolina.
Trump’s trade envoy this week also asked that the U.S. International Trade Commission probe whether Mexican blueberries have hurt American farmers and hold talks to address concerns about strawberries from south of the border. The steps look targeted to win over growers in Georgia, Michigan and Florida and come after years of requests for protection by Republican Senators Marco Rubio and Rick Scott.
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