WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump's tariffs on steel, aluminum and other imported goods are threatening a trade deal with South Africa that gives U.S. chicken producers duty-free access to a market that had effectively been shut to them for years.

Sens. Chris Coons of Delaware, Johnny Isakson of Georgia and Roger Wicker of Mississippi have outlined their concerns in a recent letter to Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross. They cite a lawsuit in South Africa that aims to end duty-free imports of American chicken unless South Africa is exempted from Trump's metal tariffs.

The senators are from states where poultry is a multi-billion dollar industry.

The dispute illustrates the risk Trump runs by using tariffs to force countries into trade pacts with terms he considers more favorable to the U.S.

Source: AP

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