Trump says 'aggressive' foreign trade an 'assault on our country'

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump on Thursday declared the American steel and aluminum industries had been "ravaged by aggressive foreign trade practices" as he signed off on contentious trade tariffs.

"It's really an assault on our country," he continued. "I've been talking about this a long time, a lot longer than my political career."

Trump approved the levies of 25 percent on imported steel and 10 percent on imported aluminum despite warnings of a global trade war and protests from allies in Europe and home.