I firmly believe such tariffs will destroy jobs in the US and Globally, but my opinion does not matter. Others will soon be yelling as well.

"I do expect China and Europe and Mexico to yell about this," says Kevin Brady.

Kevin Brady, the chief tax policymaker on Capitol Hill, launched a robust defence of his proposal to tax imports and sought to tie it to President Donald Trump's "America first" economic agenda just as the new president appears to waver on the idea.

The plan to penalise importers and incentivise American exports has emerged as the most contentious part of the biggest proposed overhaul of the tax code in 30 years, a process that begins in Mr Brady's Ways and Means committee in the House of Representatives.