Australia weighs taking Trump tariffs to WTO

ANKARA

Australia is considering whether to challenge the US at the World Trade Organization (WTO) over President Donald Trump's steel and aluminum tariffs, local media reported Monday.

Trump has announced a plan to double tariffs on steel and aluminum imports to 50% starting Wednesday.

Australian goods are already subject to a 10% baseline tariff, local broadcaster SBS News reported, without elaborating on Canberra's strategy to challenge Trump's latest move at the WTO.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is expected to meet with Trump on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada later this month.

Albanese said he will be making Australia's position very clear through a "variety of channels."

"This is an act of economic self-harm by the United States. It will increase costs for consumers in the United States because it is supplied across the board," said SBS.

"What it will do is not create any comparative advantage or disadvantage compared with other countries that export into the United States. It is an inappropriate action by the Trump administration," the broadcaster added

*Writing by Aamir Latif