Leader Schumer Floor Remarks On President Trump’s Tariffs Kickstarting A Golden Age Of Higher Costs For American Families

Washington, D.C. – Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor, warning that President Trump’s tariffs on Canada and Mexico will result in “The Dumbest Trade War in History” and only raise costs for everyday American families. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here:

This weekend, President Trump kick started a Golden Age of higher costs for American families with his 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico – two of our four biggest trading partners.

By issuing his tariffs, Trump is yet again rigging the game for his billionaire friends while doing nothing to lower costs for American families.

Thankfully, President Trump got immense blowback, and for now he’s decided to back off on his nonsensical trade war with Mexico.

But President Trump’s retreat is not enough. He must also back off his tariffs on Canada, or everyday Americans will see prices go up.

Listen to this: economists predict that President Trump’s tariffs are going to raise prices on American families by as much as $1,200 a year.

Let me say that again: President Trump’s tariffs are going to raise prices on families by as much as $1,200 per year.

To President Trump and his billionaire buddies, $1,200 may be chump change. But to most Americans, a $1,200 cost increase would be devastating.

For most families, $1,200 could be the difference between putting food on the table or not, between affording medications or doctor’s appointments, or having to skip them.

Americans: you’re worried about car prices? The Trump tariffs will raise your car prices.

You use a car to get to work? The Trump tariffs will make gas prices go up.

And we should not listen at all to Donald Trump when he says this is about stopping fentanyl. That’s nonsense – there are other ways to stop fentanyl without making inflation worse and raising costs on the American family.

But Donald Trump clearly doesn’t care. He said the American people need to suck it up, to accept that there will be “some pain” after his tariffs go into effect. That is outrageous. That’s what an out-of-touch billionaire says.

Meanwhile, both sides of the ideological spectrum know the damage of these tariffs. the U.S. Chamber of Commerce – hardly a liberal group – said President Trump’s tariffs “…will only raise prices for American families and upend supply chains.”

Even the Wall Street Journal Editorial Board – again, no friend of liberals – said that President Trump’s tariffs will result in “The Dumbest Trade War in History.”

That’s what this would be, as the Wall Street Journal Editorial Board said: the dumbest trade war in history. This is not what the American people want.

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