SUPPORTING AMERICAN INDUSTRY: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed a Proclamation under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962. This directive instructs the U.S. Secretary of Commerce and the U.S. Trade Representative to jointly negotiate with trading partners to address national security concerns related to commercial aircraft, jet engines, and their parts from any country.
- The Administration aims to collaborate with trading partners to mitigate the impact of foreign imports on the U.S. commercial aerospace industry’s health.
- The Secretary of Commerce is tasked with updating the President on any situations that might necessitate additional measures under Section 232 concerning commercial aircraft, jet engines, and their components.
- The President reserves the right to take further actions to adjust imports of these goods if necessary to protect national security. This includes scenarios where negotiations do not lead to agreements within 180 days, agreements are not implemented, or prove ineffective.
ADDRESSING THE THREAT TO NATIONAL SECURITY: President Trump acknowledges the critical role that commercial aircraft, jet engines, and related parts play in the U.S. economy and their importance to national security.
- The U.S. Government utilizes large commercial aircraft for national defense needs, including military operations, emergency responses, official travel, and transporting cargo and troops.
- The U.S. aircraft industry is struggling to meet both economic and national security requirements due to foreign government interventions that have reduced the global market share of U.S. producers. This has resulted in diminished domestic manufacturing capabilities, a loss of skilled workers, industry consolidation, and increased production costs.
- Lacking a strong domestic commercial aerospace sector, U.S. defense industries and services reliant on this sector face rising costs, supply uncertainties, and order backlogs for military aircraft, engines, and parts.
- The U.S. commercial aircraft manufacturing sector is a key driver of high-value economic activity, industrial innovation, and wage growth for American workers.
BUILDING ON A RECORD OF SECURING CRITICAL INDUSTRIES: President Trump has consistently emphasized the importance of restoring critical sectors of the U.S. industrial base for national security and economic strength.
- During his first term, President Trump used Section 232 to address global trade policies that weakened U.S. steel and aluminum industries, thereby affecting national security.
- Since then, President Trump has continued to employ Section 232 to enhance domestic manufacturing vital to national and economic security. This includes imposing and reinforcing tariffs on essential goods like steel, aluminum, copper, vehicles, timber, lumber, and pharmaceuticals.
- Through negotiations with foreign partners and strategic tariffs, President Trump has attracted trillions in private and foreign investment to boost American jobs and manufacturing. This strategy also aims to diversify global supply chains and reduce reliance on adversarial nations.
