Rep. Murphy to Newsmax: Trump's Metals Tariffs Needed for Balance

President Donald Trump's executive order putting 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports is necessary to balance the effects of tariffs on U.S. goods, as American companies are being "pulverized by other countries," Rep. Greg Murphy, R-N.C., told Newsmax Tuesday.

"President Trump understands this," Murphy said on Newsmax's "Wake Up America." "He's a businessman … he understands that trade needs to be balanced, and the only way to balance [how] we're affected by tariffs in other countries is to reciprocate them."

Trump's order for the tariffs has been met with resistance from several other countries.

In Canada, steelmakers warned that the tariffs will cause "massive" disruptions, while the European Commission said it will "react to protect the interests of European businesses, workers, and consumers from unjustified measures."

Murphy acknowledged that the tariffs could cause some "short-term difficulty" but still felt they would "restart some parts of the American economy that have long since been dead."

"I think it's great," he added. "I think it's an important asset and an important tool that he has to bring back the American economy and make it stronger."

Meanwhile, Trump threatened Mexico and Canada last month with tariffs over border security and fentanyl trafficking, but the metals tariffs are different, said Murphy.

"These aren't punitive," he said. "They're more pro-economic for the United States. We have so many things like Detroit, some of the Midwestern or the Rust Belt cities that have died, that have absolutely died because all of those economies have gone offshore or nearshore in that regard. He wants to just bring things back to the United States."

Bringing metals industries back to the U.S. is also a national security concern, said Murphy.

"Much of what we had in front of our domestic economy was exposed during the pandemic," he said. "This is a critical part to making sure our national security and our own ability to pay — to take care of ourselves — is secured."

Meanwhile, Murphy, the co-chair of the House GOP Doctors Conference, discussed the upcoming confirmation vote for Health and Human Services nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and said he believes the "disruption" Trump's controversial pick could bring could be welcomed.

"I think disruption is OK, especially given the monolithic thought of medicine during the pandemic," said Murphy, who is a medical doctor. "I think as long as it's healthy disruption, and I look forward for us to have conversations with him about what's best for the health of the nation; I'm 100% on board."

Change is needed, he added, given health issues such as chronic diseases and childhood obesity.

"I think being a disruptor for good things — to try to shake up the nonsense that's going on — is a good thing," Murphy said. "We may not agree on some of the aspects of medicine itself. This is what I've devoted my life to. But I look forward to good and fruitful conversations with RFK."

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