Washington Weekly is IDFA’s new update curating policy news from the nation’s capital. This week, Larry Kudlow, director of the U.S. National Economic Council, discusses the current trade war with China; the July Jobs Report is in; and the Tennessee primary races show mixed success for candidates supporting President Donald Trump.

Trump Won’t Back Down from China Tariff Retaliation

The Trump administration plans to keep pressing China for trade concessions, said Larry Kudlow, director of the U.S. National Economic Council, in a Bloomberg Television interview on Friday. The Chinese government also said it has no intention of backing down from a trade war and has proposed tariffs on $60 billion worth of American imports. Read more here.

July Jobs Report: Unemployment Rate Drops to 3.9 Percent

The July Jobs Report showed steady labor market growth, reporting that the unemployment rate slipped just below four percent, earnings raised slightly and levels of consumer spending were maintained. More information can be found here.

Dairy Groups Urge Perdue, Lighthizer to Address NAFTA Needs

IDFA and other dairy groups last week urged the administration to call attention to geographical indications issues and Canada’s high tariffs on U.S. dairy products as negotiators wrap up talks on the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). In a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, the groups said the without the right provisions in place, the U.S. dairy industry could lose considerable sales in Mexico, the top market for U.S. dairy exports, and continue to face market access barriers in Canada. Read the letter here.

Tennessee Primaries Show Mixed Results for Candidates Who Align with Trump

Republican primary elections for governor and senator produced mixed success for President Donald Trump and his supporters. U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., won her primary to potentially become Tennessee’s first female senator and credited her win to her alignment with President Trump. Blackburn’s candidacy comes after Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., announced his retirement back in 2017. He has publicly rebuked the president and called for congressional votes on the executive branch advancing tariffs in the name of national security. Blackburn has refused to back Corker’s current proposal. Another Trump supporter, U.S. Rep. Diane Black, R-Tenn., who was predicted to win the Republican governor primary, finished third. Read more on the Tennessee primaries here.