Turkey could retaliate over US steel tariffs with duties on cotton – adviser

Turkey could retaliate against potential US steel tariffs by hiking duties on imports of American cotton, an economic adviser of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday. US President Donald Trump said last week that he would impose broad tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum to protect American national security. “Starting with Turkey, countries affected by the US tax imposition are preparing to answer the US in alternative goods – such as Turkey in cotton,” Cemil Ertem, a prominent Erdogan adviser, wrote in the Milliyet newspaper. He did not say how much of a tariff was being considered, according to Reuters. The Economy Ministry said it had spoken to EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malstrom regarding the issue.