Canadian minister warns that Americans will experience economic pain from Trump tariffs
Associated PressWASHINGTON — Canada’s energy minister came to Washington this week to warn U.S. lawmakers about President-elect Donald Trump’s tariffs threat on Canada: They’d inflict economic pain on Americans, with higher prices and job losses. “In his first term, President Trump instituted tariffs that created jobs, spurred investment, and resulted in no inflation,” said Karoline Leavitt, a transition spokesperson who is also the incoming White House press secretary. “President Trump will work quickly to fix and restore an economy that puts American workers first by re-shoring American jobs, lowering inflation, raising real wages, lowering taxes, cutting regulations, and unshackling American energy.” Canada is looking at putting retaliatory tariffs on American orange juice, toilets and some steel products if Trump follows through with his threat. Reps. Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., and Don Beyer, D-Va., introduced legislation Wednesday that would roll back the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which gives the president authority to impose sanctions on hostile foreign nations that pose an emergency threat to the U.S. DelBene said on a call with reporters to preview the legislation that Trump’s tariffs constitute a “nationwide sales tax on foreign goods that saddles families with higher prices.” “This is the textbook definition of a trade war,” she said.