Australia spared US steel and aluminium tariffs, Turnbull confirms

The prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, has confirmed that Australia has won a reprieve from the United States’ global steel and aluminium tariffs, after the US president, Donald Trump, earlier tweeted that he and Turnbull were working on a “security agreement” for an exemption.

In a post on Twitter, Trump had said he was negotiating directly with the Australian prime minister.

“Spoke to PM of Australia. He is committed to having a very fair and reciprocal military and trade relationship. Working very quickly on a security agreement so we don’t have to impose steel or aluminum (sic) tariffs on our ally, the great nation of Australia!,” Trump wrote.

Turnbull then replied, also on Twitter, and using the US president’s trademark exclamatory punctuation:

“Great discussion today on security and trade. Australia/US trade is fair & reciprocal & each of our nations has no closer ally. Thank you for confirming new tariffs won’t have to be imposed on Australian steel & aluminium - good for jobs in Australia and in US!”

Source: theguardian