more at China seemed likely. (I have not looked at a thing today other than our outstanding performance against Louisville, so I don't know the actual latest). Assuming it is now more China-focused, I think it can be said with 99% certainty that this is not what Trump originally had in mind as it served no purpose to start the way he did and then adjust this way. It doesn't make him "tougher" or some "master negotiator" -- not one iota.

I don't feel one bit differently about the awfulness of how this administration has approached trade or this case in particular, other than something more scaled back is relatively better than the alternative. It gives hope to those who clinging to the notion that there is at least some chance to still check the worst of his policies. To the extent it won't lead to as much retaliation from other trading partners, that is a positive. It also may not evoke some giant response from China either -- one thing about trade is that it is nearly impossible to have a crystal ball on the twists and turns. It certainly could, but it also may not. It doesn't change the fact that we have our 100+ cases of AD/CVD duties against China and steel now but still somehow felt compelled to invoke a "national security" 232 case, and it doesn't change the entire purpose which is to raise the price of steel here -- presumably helping one narrow subset of companies while hurting others who rely on the same steel as an input.

China is not some great, innocent player on steel. They need to be checked as well. There are lots of ways to do it, and we do. This is a bad way. The world isn't going to come to an end regardless, but it is one of the dumber moves yet for this administration imo. Obviously, plenty who have disdain for trade and China in particular disagree.