Louisiana governor hammers Trump over tariffs after a steelmaker in his state goes bankrupt

Democratic Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards hammered President Donald Trump on Tuesday after a steelmaker in his state filed for bankruptcy.

Bloomberg reports that hundreds of jobs are in jeopardy after the Bayou Steel Group filed for bankruptcy earlier this week. The bankruptcy filing has coincided with the shutdown of a plant employing roughly 400 workers near New Orleans.

The company cited a "severe lack in liquidity" as its reason for going bankrupt, but Gov. Edwards was quick to point the finger at Trump's trade war with China, which has resulted in American agricultural and manufacturing industries getting slammed by retaliatory tariffs.

"Louisiana is among the most dependent states on tariffed metals, which is why we continue to be hopeful for a speedy resolution to the uncertainty of the future of tariffs," he said. "Meanwhile, we will do everything within our power to help those displaced workers."

In addition to its plant near New Orleans, Bayou Steel also plans to shut down a plant in Harriman, Tennessee.