*By Christian Smith* Pressure continues to mount on President Donald Trump to walk back his tariff policy, with Russia becoming the seventh World Trade Organization member to officially challenge the White House's duties on steel and aluminum. And while the organization will take up these cases, Politico trade reporter Megan Cassella said the process will likely take a long time to play out. "The WTO doesn't tend to do anything quickly," Cassella said in an interview on Cheddar Tuesday. Even if the WTO, an intergovernmental agency that overseas international trade, does eventually come to a conclusion, the U.S. could still avoid any repercussions. "Given the Trump administration's sort of disdain for the WTO and its legal rulings, it's also possible that, even if they do eventually come to a conclusion, Trump might just say, 'Well you know, that's it then, that's the end of the U.S. membership in the WTO'," Cassella noted. Russia's appeal filed last week cites "numerous violations of WTO rules by the United States in introducing this measure," said Russian Economic Development Minister Maksim Oreshkin in a [statement](https://www.rt.com/business/431256-russia-tariffs-us-good/). The 25 percent tax on foreign steel and 10 percent tax on foreign aluminum took effect June 1. The Trump administration justified the tariffs using the 1962 Trade Expansion Act, which grants the president the power to restrict imports to protect national security. But not everyone is buying into the White House's rationale. China, India, the European Union, Canada, Mexico, Norway, and now Russia have all filed complaints with the WTO. For the full segment, [click here.](https://cheddar.com/videos/russia-challenges-trumps-tariffs-in-wto)

Share:
More In Politics
Return To School Clouded By Mask Mandate Bans In GOP-Led States
Even amid the spread of the Delta variant, Republican governors in states like Florida and Texas have taken actions like banning mask mandates for school districts that will soon bring students back for the year. This argument happens amid a stark increase in pediatric COVID cases. Bianca Quilantan, education reporter at POLITICO, joins Cheddar Politics to discuss.
Next Week on the Street: August 16 to August 20
In stories sure to move markets next week, Robinhood and several retail giants report earnings, Jerome Powell takes the podium, New York City's mask mandate goes into effect, and Tesla hosts its 'AI Day.'
Trump-DeSantis Tensions Coming To Surface
Former President Trump remains the standard-bearer of the Republican Party in his first six months removed from office. But despite his position atop the party, others are moving to shore up their own bona fides. Chief among them is Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis who has signed a bevy of bills popular among conservatives this year. He's viewed as a potential successor to trump, and that's creating tension with the still-present Trump. Matt Dixon, POLITICO Florida bureau chief, joins Cheddar Politics to discuss.
Load More