Koch brothers take on Trump over tariffs with multi-million dollar campaign
The billionaire Koch brothers are taking on US President Donald Trump by launching a multi-million dollar campaign in support of free trade.
The prominent Republican donors control Koch Industries, the second-largest private company in the US, which has an annual revenue of $115bn (£86bn).
Read more: May to Trump: Steel tariffs deeply disappointing
Previously they have donated millions of dollars to back Republican candidates and conservative causes such as free market advocacy and small government.
Koch-backed groups, the Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce, Americans for Prosperity and The LIBRE Initiative, announced the new campaign this week.
Americans for Prosperity president Tim Phillips said: “The Trump administration has taken some incredibly positive steps for the American economy, but tariffs will undercut that progress and needlessly hamstring our full economic potential.”
Read more: Why Trump's tariffs on allies have not caused a market meltdown – yet
The multi-million dollar campaign will include paid media, activist education grassroots mobilisation, lobbying and political analysis intended to promote free trade and oppose tariffs.
The Koch brothers were not full-throated in their support for Trump during the 2016 election. Charles Koch criticised Trumps proposed Muslim registry comparing it to Nazi Germany.
In contrast they spent $120m on the unsuccessful 2012 effort to topple Barack Obama.
However, they have since supported Trump policy initiatives such as pulling out of the Paris climate accords and his new tax policies.
Separately, CNBC has reported that 78-year old David Koch is set to retire from Koch Industries because of ill health.
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