Rising Backlash as US Firms Seek Steel Tariff Waiver

US companies seeking to be exempted from President Donald Trump's tariff on imported steel are accusing American steel manufacturers of spreading inaccurate and misleading information, and they fear it may torpedo their requests.

Robert Miller, president and CEO of NLMK USA, said objections raised by US Steel and Nucor to his bid for a waiver are "literal untruths". He said his company, which imports huge slabs of steel from Russia, has already paid $80 million in duties and will be forced out of business if it is not excused from the 25% tariff. US Steel and Nucor are two of the country's largest steel producers, AP reported.

"They ought to be ashamed of themselves," said Miller, who employs more than 1,100 people at mills in Pennsylvania and Indiana. Miller's resentment, echoed by several other executives, is evidence of the backlash over how the US Commerce Department is evaluating their requests to avoid the duty on steel imports.