Another Trump Refusal to Sanction Russia

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Ranking Member of the House Ways and Means Tax Policy Subcommittee, challenged President Trump's unwillingness to meaningfully sanction Russia in a Ways and Means hearing questioning Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross.

You can watch his full remarks here, and find the full transcript below. Rep. Doggett added:

"Faced again with an opportunity to target Russia with significant sanctions, Trump again ‘choked.' China is hit with $50 billion in penalties for theft of intellectual property, but no sanctions for Russia's attempted theft of our democracy. Not even a tweet or an unkind word, only congratulations to a tyrant. The weak approach taken with these aluminum and steel tariffs is consistent with his prior Russia coddling."

President Trump rejected a targeted approach, proposed by the Department of Commerce, that would have targeted Russian steel and aluminum with almost three times higher tariffs than U.S. allies. Russia's sole aluminum company, the second largest in the world, is led by Putin confidant and former client of Paul Manafort, Oleg Deripaska.

Rep. Lloyd Doggett Remarks as Delivered

Ways and Means Hearing

March 22, 2018

Congressman Doggett: Thank you very much Mr. Secretary. If I understand correctly, you presented President Trump with three alternatives to implement this policy on aluminum. One of them was global. One of them was targeted. Is that correct?

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross: Yes that is. The targeted one encompassed just China, Hong Kong, Russia, Venezuela, Vietnam.

Doggett: And if that alternative had been adopted, Russia, for example, would be paying three times as much tariff as it will under the approach that was accepted.

Ross: Yes, the targeted approach, had it been adopted in its original form would have put very high tariffs on a very small number of countries.

Doggett: And that really goes to a broader concern that I have that would have permitted other countries, our allies, to maintain the quota of aluminum that they had last year.

Ross: Yes sir.

Doggett: Instead, President Trump rejected that alternative that would have imposed higher tariffs on Russia, and the other four countries. Russia, of course, has the second largest aluminum producer in the world. That is headed by someone who's repeatedly been denied visas to come the United States because of his connection to criminal organizations. And I just have to frankly, and respectfully, question your comment that the President made clear that his first priority is to keep America safe. I don't see anything indicating that he is particularly interested in keeping our country safe from Russia. Indeed, I have to concur with the comments that I'm sure you're familiar with, that Barry McCaffrey, a decorated four star United States Army general, combat veteran from Vietnam, recipient of three Purple Hearts, said in that few days: "Reluctantly, I have concluded that President Trump is a serious threat to U.S. national security. He is refusing to protect vital U.S. interest from active Russia attacks. It is apparent that he is for some unknown reason under the sway of Mr. Putin." Now I know you don't agree with that but we've had, since he made that very powerful statement from someone who is clearly an American patriot, we've had President Trump respond to the attempted murder in Great Britain and to the continued Russian assault on our election system, by calling and congratulating President Putin. He has insulted people all over this country, but one he's never had one bad word about, a questioning word about, is Vladimir Putin. And it appears that Mr. McCaffrey, General McCaffrey, has summed it up rather well. And that if anything, the approach taken with these aluminum and steel tariffs is very consistent with the approach of always coddling Russia and never calling it out for its attempt to steal our democracy.