Bessent says any narrowing of US metals tariffs up to Trump

WASHINGTON — U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Friday that any decision to narrow the scope of U.S. metals tariffs would be made by President Donald Trump, but added that there could be some modifications to the duties. Bessent, asked on CNBC about a Financial Times report that Trump is planning to roll back some of his 50 percent tariffs on steel and aluminum products, said he spoke to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer about the matter and added: "We'll see if there is a narrowing." "If anything is done, I think it would be some sort of clarification on some incidental objects, but again, that's going to be the president's decision," Bessent said. A spokesperson for the U.S. Commerce Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the FT report, which cited unnamed sources as saying that the Trump administration was reviewing the tariffs and would exempt some items. The U.S. Trade Representative's office also did not immediately respond. The Commerce Department oversees the Section 232 national security tariffs that Trump doubled last year on ste