Finance & economics | Rinse and repeat

Washing machines reveal how trade and competition are linked

The saga of Whirlpool’s efforts to secure protection

Heavy-duty machines
|Washington, DC

AMERICAN WASHING-MACHINE makers received a parting gift from President Donald Trump. Days before leaving office, he extended tariffs on imported machines by two years. The move was a victory for Whirlpool, an appliance-maker that has sought protection for nearly a decade. The saga is a case study of the impact of protectionism on competition at home.

This article appeared in the Finance & economics section of the print edition under the headline “Rinse and repeat”

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