OnPolitics Today: Death penalty for drug dealers? Trump sees the upside.

Also on Thursday: Trump moves on aluminum, a "threat" to national security.

with Josh Hafner OnPolitics Today: Death penalty for drug dealers? Trump sees the upside.   To address America's opioid crisis, Trump's considering a tactic from the Philippines: Executing drug dealers. Trump floated the idea during conference Thursday while brainstorming "very strong" penalties that could address pain killer addiction in the states. "Some countries have a very, very tough penalty - the ultimate penalty," Trump said. "And, by the way, they have much less of a drug problem than we do. So we're going to have to be very strong on penalties."  Trump chatted about such policies with leaders of Philippines, White House officials said, where President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs has delved into extra-judicial killings. This OnPolitics Today: Subscribe here. America's grave security threat: Aluminum Trump will soon slap tariffs on aluminum and steel imports, with a White House statement calling them "potential threats to our national security." But the tariffs could upset America's trade partners abroad, and the news sank U.S. stocks on Thursday. It's a move Trump's long considered: "Steel is critical to both our economy and our military," he said last year. The tariffs - 10% on aluminum and 25% on steel, Trump said - were quickly criticized as a "tax hike" by even Republican lawmakers who said other nations would simply slap counter-tariffs on the U.S. Trump's 'beautiful' gun bill: Don't hold your breath An all-in-one gun bill that produces comprehensive reform? That should be "easy," Trump told lawmakers this week, predicting support "nobody would even believe." It may, of course, not be so simple: Gun bills paralyze congress, even after horrific tragedies like Sandy Hook and Stoneman Douglas. Current proposals remain scattered, Trump remains unpredictable and the gun lobby holds powerful sway of members of Congress. Explore four of Trump's hurdles here. Elsewhere in politics • John Kelly on current White House gig: 'God punished me' • Mike Huckabee lasts literally one day on country music board • That law Manafort allegedly broke? Senators aim to change it • Putin's big missile brag: All (campaign) talk?   MOST SHARED USA TODAY STORIES Mike Pence: U.S. can end legal abortion 'in our time' Vice President Mike Pence spoke to the National Religious... Read more Continued after advertisement Jared Kushner, President Trump's son-in-law, has security clearance downgraded Officials said Jared Kushner's duties won't be affected by the... Read more 'It's really, really good': Illinois governor toasts diversity by gulping chocolate milk "It's really, really good," Bruce Rauner said before a Chicago... Read more OnPolitics Today: An officer froze, but Trump backs armed teachers As news broke that an armed officer froze during last week's... Read more CDC: Flu kills 13 more children, bringing season's toll to 97 kids, but may be at its peak ���������������������This year's flu vaccines are preventing about 36% of cases in... Read more FOLLOW US Thank you for subscribing to On Politics. Unsubscribe  |  Manage subscriptions  |  Privacy Policy/Your California Privacy Rights  |  Ad Choices  |  Terms of Service © 2018 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. 7950 Jones Branch Drive, McLean, VA 22102