The best online Debate website - DebateIsland.com! The only Online Debate Website with Casual, Persuade Me, Formalish, and Formal Online Debate formats. We’re the Leading Online Debate website. Debate popular topics, Debate news, or Debate anything! Debate online for free! How 'vital to our national security' is steel, aluminum?in United States

agsr

"The president is exercising his authority to impose a 25 percent tariff on steel imports and a 10 percent tariff on aluminum imports in order to protect our national security," the White House said in a statement.

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2018/mar/09/donald-trump/how-vital-our-national-security-are-steel-aluminum/

Do you agree with it?

Polifact ruling:

Trump said that American aluminum and steel "are vital to our national security. ... They are the bedrock of our defense industrial base."

Military purchases account for a small fraction of U.S. production for both metals, to say nothing of foreign imports. Critics add that the tariffs could have negative impacts on national security that aren’t taken into account by the White House or Commerce Department.

Bolstering Trump’s point, however, the 1962 law used as justification for the tariffs specifically allows a more expansive definition that adds far-reaching critical infrastructure to specific military activities.

Because this claim needs so much additional context, we rate the statement Half True.

love2debate

President Trump is correct that it's essential to our nationL security.  Polifact understates the impact. We have too much dependency on foreign interest for this strategically key industry 

Gooberry

Not nearly as important to US national security as relationships and cooperation with allies; and not nearly as damaging as a shift in geopolitical power towards China and other leaders in Trade.

someone234

Gooberry said:

Not nearly as important to US national security as relationships and cooperation with allies; and not nearly as damaging as a shift in geopolitical power towards China and other leaders in Trade.

Trump the Puppet blows his trumpet and the right wing Muppets sing lalala.