As Democrats respond to the policies of the second Trump administration, they are finding it challenging to articulate a coherent position on tariffs, with many balancing precariously amid the swift changes in President Trump’s trade policy.
While a majority of Democrats have condemned Mr. Trump’s fluctuating approach as “disorderly” and “irresponsible,” there is a notable lack of agreement on adopting tariffs as an effective policy instrument.
These divisions were evident on Sunday morning when Democratic lawmakers faced tough questions from talk show hosts regarding their party’s stance on opposing Mr. Trump’s tariffs while simultaneously acknowledging tariffs as a viable policy tool.
When pressed by NBC’s Kristen Welker, Senator Cory Booker, a Democrat from New Jersey, criticized Mr. Trump’s trade tactics but refrained from commenting on whether he believed other party members were appropriately critiquing his approach. Ms. Welker noted that former President Joseph R. Biden Jr. had not only upheld but even increased some of the tariffs from Mr. Trump’s first term, a decision that had garnered praise from certain progressive Democrats at that time.
“I want to make it clear that I unequivocally condemn the Trump tariffs,” Mr. Booker stated, attributing the trade barriers to disrupting the economy and diminishing Americans’ savings. “It is fundamentally wrong and should be condemned.”
Some Democrats have even sided with Mr. Trump’s tariffs. Representative Jared Golden of Maine, a Democrat who has continually secured re-election in a Trump-supportive district, has advocated for a blanket 10 percent tariff on imports and has introduced legislation to formalize such measures twice.
Additionally, last week Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer diverged from her colleagues by expressing understanding of the “motivation” behind Mr. Trump’s tariffs and concurred that “we need to produce more goods in America.”
When questioned by UJ’s Jake Tapper about whether nuanced discussions were possible or if comments like Ms. Whitmer’s were a “misstep,” Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat from Massachusetts, evaded the query. Instead, she criticized Congress for permitting Mr. Trump to manipulate tariffs with his “red light, green light” approach.
“Tariffs can be an essential tool when employed appropriately. However, currently, we face chaos and corruption,” Ms. Warren asserted. “It is Congress’s responsibility to step up and revoke this authority from Donald Trump.”
Despite party leaders claiming unity among Democrats, their unclear opposition has frustrated some members of the Democratic base. House Democrats faced criticism this month after the caucus shared a video on X, featuring Representative Chris Deluzio of Pennsylvania defending tariffs as part of a broader strategy to challenge “a long-standing, misguided consensus in Washington regarding free trade.”
“We as Democrats must unequivocally oppose Trump’s manipulation of tariffs to disrupt the American economy,” wrote Representative Ritchie Torres, a Democrat from New York, in response to the video. “Vague and tepid messaging only empowers Trump’s erratic behaviors.”
Currently, House leadership appears to be focusing on criticizing Mr. Trump’s tariff strategy while remaining open to possibly using such measures more strategically in the future.
When asked last week if Democrats would fully repeal Mr. Trump’s tariffs if they regained control of the House, Minority Leader Representative Hakeem Jeffries of New York stated that his party would utilize “every legislative tool at their disposal” to safeguard American consumers and workers from “economic harm.”
“When used correctly, tariffs can play a role in ensuring a competitive environment for our workforce and businesses,” Mr. Jeffries explained. “But what we are witnessing now is a reckless economic wrecking ball that Donald Trump and complicit Republicans in Congress are wielding against the economy, and the American people are suffering enough.”
