Sen. Schumer slams Trump tariffs amid trade war with Canada, Mexico

Amid an emerging commercialized war over the weekend, Sen. Chuck Schumer slammed President Trump’s determination to enforce stiff tariffs connected Canada, Mexico and China.

“The President is not conscionable randomly slapping connected tariffs, he’s slapping consumers close wherever it hurts — their wallets,” Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Sunday. “To marque matters worse, it’s cities similar New York, and metro areas similar Long Island who volition spot higher costs archetypal and often longer.”

Trump signed an enforcement bid Saturday that imposed 25% import tariffs connected products from Canada, Mexico and China opening Tuesday. Canadian and Mexican leaders promised to instantly respond.

Shipping containers are seen astatine the Port of Montreal successful Montreal, Canada, connected Feb. 2, 2025. Canada volition deed backmost astatine US tariffs with 25 percent levies of its ain connected prime American goods, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said connected Feb. 1. (Photo by ANDREJ IVANOV/AFP via Getty Images)

Economic analysts person estimated the tariffs volition cost each household astir $1,170, a fig that Schumer cited Sunday successful a property conference. The caller 25% tariffs “make 100% nary sense,” the legislator said.

On the run trail, Trump made tariffs a large portion of his economical platform, promising to enforce tariffs arsenic punishment for different policies. He said they would beryllium a negotiating maneuver to forestall amerciable migration and fentanyl smuggling — but helium imposed the taxes conscionable 2 weeks into his 2nd term.

“It was Donald Trump who campaigned connected lowering costs, and present it is Donald Trump who volition rise them, and expects consumers to conscionable beryllium OK with that,” Schumer said. “So, present we are now, successful a commercialized warfare with Mexico and Canada. For the American radical now, it volition beryllium a warfare betwixt prices and their paychecks.”

Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks, flanked by Minister of Foreign Affairs Melanie Joly (L) and Minister of Finance and Intergovernmental Affairs Dominic LeBlanc, during a quality league Feb. 1, 2025 connected Parliament Hill successful Ottawa, Canada. (Photo by DAVE CHAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Both Canada and Mexico promised speedy responses to the tariffs. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced matching 25% tariffs connected U.S. goods.

“The actions taken contiguous by the White House divided america isolated alternatively of bringing america together,” Trudeau said.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum likewise slammed Trump’s action and announced Mexico’s ain plans for retaliation.

Trump has insisted the tariffs volition enactment retired positively for the U.S., calling them indispensable “to support Americans.” But economists warned that if the tariffs are allowed to persist, they could upend the planetary system and isolate the U.S., driving up prices.

“It doesn’t marque overmuch economical sense,’’ said William Reinsch, elder advisor astatine the Center for Strategic and International Studies and a erstwhile U.S. commercialized official. “Historically, astir of our tariffs connected earthy materials person been debased due to the fact that we privation to get cheaper materials truthful our manufacturers volition beryllium competitive.”

The Canadian tariff argumentation includes a tiny objection for oil, earthy state and electricity, which volition beryllium taxed astatine 10% alternatively of the 25% connected different goods. The tariffs correspond a monolithic displacement successful U.S. commercialized argumentation with Canada and Mexico that has been focused connected escaped trade since the aboriginal 1990s.

“No substance which mode you portion it: Costs are going to ascent for consumers and if you’re successful New York City oregon connected Long Island, you’ll consciousness it first,” Schumer said. “I volition enactment with my colleagues to undo this mess, get costs down, and get these billionaires retired of the way.”

With News Wire Services