[Harlow:] All right, moments ago, FBI Agent Peter Strzok arriving on Capitol Hill for this closed door hearing in front of the House Judiciary Committee about those anti-Trump text messages that were a significant part of the inspector general's report on whether there was bias in the Hillary Clinton e-mail investigation. We'll report that out as soon as we get more. Of course, it's a closed door hearing. Meantime, a factory in Texas that makes steel pipes for the oil and gas industry says the new Trump tariffs are killing its plans to expands and hire more workers. And to drive that message home, workers and their children are flooding the White House with postcards asking for a waiver from the measure that was meant to give them a leg up. Like many U.S. factories, this company, Borusan Mannesmann, imports raw materials and estimates the tariffs on imported steel will cost it $25 million a year minimum. I'm joined by the company's CEO, Joel Johnson. Thank you for being with me this morning.
[Joel Johnson, Ceo, Borusan Mannesmann:] Good morning, Poppy.
[Harlow:] Your company imports raw material from Turkey. These tariffs are going to hurt a lot. $25 million a year is what you predict they will cost the company. What would that mean in terms of job loss?
[Johnson:] Well, we also buy the bulk of our steel from the domestic producers, such as Nucor, SDI, Big River, ArcelorMittal. What we do import is semi-finished pipe from our Turkish parent. And we finish those in Baytown, Texas, for the oil and gas industry.
[Harlow:] So would you have to lay off workers if these if you don't get a waiver? Because you're asking the Trump administration for a waiver to exempt you guys from this tariff. If you don't get that, are you going to have to lay people off?
[Johnson:] Well, it would definitely impact our production balances. It just makes it difficult for us to understand what might happen. You know, a couple of years ago, when the oil and gas industry was in crisis, we were down to 100 people and we were still making pipe in Baytown. Now, as the oil and gas has recovered and our products are in demand, we're touching 300. We don't want to go back to the 100 head count level. It's just it's it's it would really impact the Baytown community, which already has a 10 percent unemployment rate. So what we want to do is, we want to we want to grow.
[Harlow:] Yes.
[Johnson:] And what we've offered President Trump is a deal where we, for a short-term exemption, for two years, we'll use that time to build a factory in Baytown and employee another 170 people and then stop imports. So we're kind of we're flipping it to say, just give us a short-term exemption.
[Harlow:] So well, so your message to President Trump, who insists that these tariffs are good for America and good for American jobs, seems to me to be, no, they're not good for Americans here in Baytown, Texas, and we need relief.
[Johnson:] Well, we're not asking for a forever relief, we're just asking for a short-term bridge.
[Harlow:] Right.
[Johnson:] And give us enough time to build another factory.
[Harlow:] So you
[Johnson:] So I see this as I agree that his that, you know, he's trying to increase the local context and increase jobs and investment, and that's basically what we're offering. We're saying, just give us a little bit of time and we'll push the button and build in Baytown.
[Harlow:] You have some postcards with you.
[Johnson:] Yes.
[Harlow:] And this is notable because a creative strategy you guys have to reach the White House and to get the ear of the president, your workers have written 4,500 postcards to the White House, imploring the president to do this. Their kids have written some. Read us a little bit of what they've written.
[Johnson:] That's right. Our employees are our biggest asset. Everybody got involved. We stopped the factory. One of the kids, the winner of the kids' contest, they drew a picture of the current Borusan with a pipe factory and then a new Borusan with many more. And it says, dear Mr. President, the company that my dad works for needs your help. They want to build a big company. By making it big, they can bring people that which more people and more positions and makes a big new company. Thank you. You know, it's things like this that, you know, these are real decision that impact families. They're being talked around at the dinner table. We just need to get ten minutes of time with President Trump or Secretary Ross and explain our deal. It's a win-win. It's a win-win for America. We're part of the energy the national security process of becoming energy independent. All we need is a bit of time and we'll build another factory.
[Harlow:] If you're comfortable telling me, did you vote for President Trump? And would you say a majority of the workers at the factory were supportive of the president in this election?
[Johnson:] I'll answer it this way. Two years ago, when I three years ago when I started with Borusan Mannesmann, we went down to 100 employees. Now we're at 300. In the midterms, I'm going to be Republican backing. We got great support from Congressman Babin on this specific issue. And, you know, I think with Trump's emphasis on the economy, if it was today, I would vote for him.
[Harlow:] But if this doesn't change, if your company doesn't get a waiver, will you have to move the company? Is there a chance that you will not be able to continue production in Baytown, Texas?
[Johnson:] Our parent is committed to the U.S. market. We'll still be here. We'll have to fight our way. Unfortunately, you know, we won't be able to grow then.
[Harlow:] Understood.
[Johnson:] And, you know, Baytown has got 10 percent unemployment and we want to grow.
[Harlow:] Right.
[Johnson:] Our you know, our goal is to grow. So that would be a real shame if we didn't get it. But I think we're our deal is unique enough that the president could could put his attention on our little company and allow us to grow.
[Harlow:] Well, we'll see if he's watching now. Joel Johnson, thanks for your time this morning.
[Johnson:] Thank you very much.
[Harlow:] All right, right now, one of the president's top aides is in Russia, in Moscow, meeting with Vladimir Putin. So what does that mean ahead of this high profile summit between Putin and the president?