Wal-Mart Inc., Target Corp., Macy's Inc., and hundreds of othercompanies and associations made a plea to President Donald Trumpnot to impose additional tariffs on Chinese goods, and to return tothe negotiating table to strike a trade deal with Beijing.

More than 500 companies and 140 groups representingmanufacturers, retailers, oil and gas firms, and other industriessigned a letter addressed to Trump on Thursday from “Tariffs Hurt the Heartland,” an umbrellagroup of trade associations that's pushing back against Trump'strade war.

“We remain concerned about the escalation of tit-for-tattariffs,” the companies and groups said in the letter. “We knowfirsthand that the additional tariffs will have a significant,negative, and long-term impact on American businesses, farmers,families, and the U.S. economy.”

Trump placed duties on $250 billion of Chinese products in 2018.After talks on a trade deal with China faltered in May, he ordereda tariff increase, to 25 percent from 10 percent, on $200 billionof goods and targeted an additional $300 billion in products forduties—including consumer items from clothing to toys to mobilephones that the administration tried to spare in previousrounds.

The coalition commissioned a report in February that showed theU.S. tariffs and China's retaliation would lead to the loss of morethan 2 million U.S. jobs, increase costs for the average Americanfamily of four by almost $2,300, and reduce U.S. GDP.

The president has repeatedly threatened to raise tariffs ifChinese President Xi Jinping doesn't meet with him at the Group of20 leaders' meeting June 28-29 in Osaka, Japan. Trump is stillwaiting for a response from Xi about a meeting, economic adviserLarry Kudlow said Thursday, and Trump said on Wednesday he had nodeadline to return to trade talks.

The companies and groups said in the letter that they supportTrump's efforts to hold trading partners accountable, but that bothsides will lose in an escalated trade war.

“We are counting on you to force a positive resolution thatremoves the current tariffs, fosters American competitiveness,grows our economy, and protects our workers and customers,” thecompanies and groups wrote.

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