Trade war: Trump faces last-ditch push by aides, allies to thwart tariffs

Harley-Davidson already is being hit by a deepening slump in American motorcycle demand, which has spurred job cuts

US President Donald Trump is facing a last-ditch effort from within his own administration and Republican lawmakers to head off steep tariffs on steel and aluminium that threaten to unleash a global trade war.

White House economic advisor Gary Cohn is summoning executives from US companies that depend on the metals to meet this week with Trump to try to persuade him to blunt or halt the tariffs announced last week, according to two people familiar with the matter.

Republicans in Congress are mounting an unusual public campaign to thwart the tariffs, with House Speaker Paul Ryan’s spokeswoman, AshLee Strong,