Democrats are rallying together against Trump's erratic tariffs on trade
Democrats are experiencing significant divisions regarding trade, but Donald Trump is aiding in bridging those gaps. The extensive tariffs the president recently announced have largely brought together a party that has historically faced intense...
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Democrats are experiencing significant divisions regarding trade, but Donald Trump is aiding in bridging those gaps.
The extensive tariffs the president recently announced have largely brought together a party that has historically faced intense internal conflicts over trade. From populists in the Rust Belt to advocates of free trade in blue states, Democrats are uniting against these tariffs.
In discussions with more than a dozen lawmakers, congressional aides, and left-leaning strategists, there was near-universal condemnation of the tariffs among Democrats on Capitol Hill, despite many acknowledging that they do not entirely reject tariffs in policymaking.
“The problem is not tariffs, generally. It's the way that Trump is doing them,” remarked Rep. Hillary Scholten, a representative from a swing state that heavily depends on car manufacturing. “Trump tariffs are bad, and the American people are suffering. It's a pretty easy message.”
Even those Democrats who had previously expressed dissent within the party on trade issues found consensus this week.
"Democrats are pretty uniform, if not entirely uniform, in making the case that what's happening right now is really dangerous," stated Rep. Chris Deluzio, a Democrat from western Pennsylvania, who recently wrote an op-ed encouraging his party to "break free from the wrong-for-decades zombie horde of neoliberal economists" who claim that all tariffs are detrimental.
At the other end of the spectrum, Rahm Emanuel, the former chief of staff to Barack Obama and now with the investment bank Centerview Partners, echoed similar sentiments. He referred to Trump's blanket tariffs as the "largest tax increase," while advocating for aggressive tariffs on China and suggesting a return to depicting China as a harmful international actor undermining other nations’ industrial bases.
Any significant disagreement within the party centers not on opposition to Trump’s trade offensive but rather on the most effective way to critique his new tariffs.
“Trying to offer nuance on Trump’s disastrous tariffs policy in this moment is like telling someone with alcohol poisoning: you know, red wine in moderation is actually good for heart health. It’s missing the point. It’s bad messaging,” explained Charlotte Clymer, a Democratic operative. “For the love of God, just keep it simple and focus on Trump’s economic extremism.”
A forthcoming test of party unity on this issue is expected with a vote initiated by Rep. Greg Meeks of New York, who leads Democrats on the Foreign Affairs Committee, aiming to fully revoke the authority Trump used for the "Liberation Day" tariffs. Party leadership anticipates almost unanimous support for this motion.
The one exception appears to be Rep. Jared Golden, a Democrat from a red district known for his unconventional positions, who has expressed support for some of Trump’s trade initiatives and previously proposed a 10 percent tariff on all imports. When questioned about the upcoming vote on trade, Golden referenced his earlier statements and suggested that he would oppose it.
The broad scope of Trump’s latest tariffs—and the disorganized manner in which they were introduced—helps explain why Democrats are managing to rally in opposition. His retaliatory tariffs targeted numerous nations, and the strategy employed by his administration has faced widespread criticism.
This situation illustrates yet another instance of Trump’s actions inadvertently resolving conflicts within the Democratic Party. Throughout his first term, Democrats in Congress largely unified against Trump’s immigration and tax policies, despite underlying disagreements on those topics.
On tariffs, a leader of a significant labor union based in a key swing state, who has supported some of Trump’s tariffs, has now indicated more flexibility regarding his recent levies. Shawn Fain, president of the Detroit-based United Auto Workers, described the global tariffs announced last week as “reckless.”
Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet, who has considered a Senate run, stated, “There are all kinds of purposes and strategic purposes and ways to use tariffs. That's not what this is.”
Other ambitious Democrats echoed similar thoughts.
Sen. John Fetterman, known for his willingness to clash with party lines, criticized Trump’s tariffs on allied nations: "I’ll never understand or support the constant punching our allies in the mouth. If we force them to find a way forward without us, they will." He also mentioned that China "absolutely" needed to be held accountable.
Rep. Chris Pappas, who has declared his candidacy for the Senate in a highly competitive race, labeled the tariffs “foolish” and “incredibly destructive,” while acknowledging that “there is a place for targeted tariffs for our national security interest to protect domestic industries.”
Additionally, Gov. Jared Polis, a staunch advocate for free trade, commented, “America is better off when we are a positive force for expanding rules-based trade opportunities across the world.” A spokesperson for Polis emphasized that Democrats are “united” against Trump’s latest tariffs.
Despite the apparent lack of open conflict among Democrats in Congress regarding Trump’s new trade approach, some contradictions in messaging have surfaced within the party. When House Democrats recently shared a video on X featuring Deluzio describing tariffs as “a powerful tool” while criticizing Trump’s chaotic application of them, he faced backlash from party activists and strategists online for being ambiguous.
“Now is the time to meet the moment, yet too many Democrats have gone mealy-mouthed. They’re giving the public a dissertation on targeted tariffs versus blanket tariffs when all they should be saying is one thing over and over again: Donald Trump’s tariffs are a new tax and they are bad,” asserted Shannon Watts, the founder of the gun control group Moms Demand Action. “This isn’t the time for individual debates; it’s time to form a united front and fight.”
Rep. Ritchie Torres followed up shortly after Deluzio’s video with a warning: “We as Democrats must speak out forcefully against Trump’s weaponization of tariffs to wreak havoc on the American economy. Muddled milquetoast messaging only emboldens Trump’s madness.”
However, Torres was quick to downplay any signs of division in the party. When asked if his comments were directed at Deluzio, he clarified in a text, “I was speaking generally—not referring to anything in particular.” He also affirmed his support for repealing Trump’s universal tariffs.
As Rep. Jason Crow remarked, Democrats are likely to unify through “this crazy thing called legislating, where you actually bring people together of diverse views, and you see what people can agree on."
Max Fischer for TROIB News
The extensive tariffs the president recently announced have largely brought together a party that has historically faced intense internal conflicts over trade. From populists in the Rust Belt to advocates of free trade in blue states, Democrats are uniting against these tariffs.
In discussions with more than a dozen lawmakers, congressional aides, and left-leaning strategists, there was near-universal condemnation of the tariffs among Democrats on Capitol Hill, despite many acknowledging that they do not entirely reject tariffs in policymaking.
“The problem is not tariffs, generally. It's the way that Trump is doing them,” remarked Rep. Hillary Scholten, a representative from a swing state that heavily depends on car manufacturing. “Trump tariffs are bad, and the American people are suffering. It's a pretty easy message.”
Even those Democrats who had previously expressed dissent within the party on trade issues found consensus this week.
"Democrats are pretty uniform, if not entirely uniform, in making the case that what's happening right now is really dangerous," stated Rep. Chris Deluzio, a Democrat from western Pennsylvania, who recently wrote an op-ed encouraging his party to "break free from the wrong-for-decades zombie horde of neoliberal economists" who claim that all tariffs are detrimental.
At the other end of the spectrum, Rahm Emanuel, the former chief of staff to Barack Obama and now with the investment bank Centerview Partners, echoed similar sentiments. He referred to Trump's blanket tariffs as the "largest tax increase," while advocating for aggressive tariffs on China and suggesting a return to depicting China as a harmful international actor undermining other nations’ industrial bases.
Any significant disagreement within the party centers not on opposition to Trump’s trade offensive but rather on the most effective way to critique his new tariffs.
“Trying to offer nuance on Trump’s disastrous tariffs policy in this moment is like telling someone with alcohol poisoning: you know, red wine in moderation is actually good for heart health. It’s missing the point. It’s bad messaging,” explained Charlotte Clymer, a Democratic operative. “For the love of God, just keep it simple and focus on Trump’s economic extremism.”
A forthcoming test of party unity on this issue is expected with a vote initiated by Rep. Greg Meeks of New York, who leads Democrats on the Foreign Affairs Committee, aiming to fully revoke the authority Trump used for the "Liberation Day" tariffs. Party leadership anticipates almost unanimous support for this motion.
The one exception appears to be Rep. Jared Golden, a Democrat from a red district known for his unconventional positions, who has expressed support for some of Trump’s trade initiatives and previously proposed a 10 percent tariff on all imports. When questioned about the upcoming vote on trade, Golden referenced his earlier statements and suggested that he would oppose it.
The broad scope of Trump’s latest tariffs—and the disorganized manner in which they were introduced—helps explain why Democrats are managing to rally in opposition. His retaliatory tariffs targeted numerous nations, and the strategy employed by his administration has faced widespread criticism.
This situation illustrates yet another instance of Trump’s actions inadvertently resolving conflicts within the Democratic Party. Throughout his first term, Democrats in Congress largely unified against Trump’s immigration and tax policies, despite underlying disagreements on those topics.
On tariffs, a leader of a significant labor union based in a key swing state, who has supported some of Trump’s tariffs, has now indicated more flexibility regarding his recent levies. Shawn Fain, president of the Detroit-based United Auto Workers, described the global tariffs announced last week as “reckless.”
Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet, who has considered a Senate run, stated, “There are all kinds of purposes and strategic purposes and ways to use tariffs. That's not what this is.”
Other ambitious Democrats echoed similar thoughts.
Sen. John Fetterman, known for his willingness to clash with party lines, criticized Trump’s tariffs on allied nations: "I’ll never understand or support the constant punching our allies in the mouth. If we force them to find a way forward without us, they will." He also mentioned that China "absolutely" needed to be held accountable.
Rep. Chris Pappas, who has declared his candidacy for the Senate in a highly competitive race, labeled the tariffs “foolish” and “incredibly destructive,” while acknowledging that “there is a place for targeted tariffs for our national security interest to protect domestic industries.”
Additionally, Gov. Jared Polis, a staunch advocate for free trade, commented, “America is better off when we are a positive force for expanding rules-based trade opportunities across the world.” A spokesperson for Polis emphasized that Democrats are “united” against Trump’s latest tariffs.
Despite the apparent lack of open conflict among Democrats in Congress regarding Trump’s new trade approach, some contradictions in messaging have surfaced within the party. When House Democrats recently shared a video on X featuring Deluzio describing tariffs as “a powerful tool” while criticizing Trump’s chaotic application of them, he faced backlash from party activists and strategists online for being ambiguous.
“Now is the time to meet the moment, yet too many Democrats have gone mealy-mouthed. They’re giving the public a dissertation on targeted tariffs versus blanket tariffs when all they should be saying is one thing over and over again: Donald Trump’s tariffs are a new tax and they are bad,” asserted Shannon Watts, the founder of the gun control group Moms Demand Action. “This isn’t the time for individual debates; it’s time to form a united front and fight.”
Rep. Ritchie Torres followed up shortly after Deluzio’s video with a warning: “We as Democrats must speak out forcefully against Trump’s weaponization of tariffs to wreak havoc on the American economy. Muddled milquetoast messaging only emboldens Trump’s madness.”
However, Torres was quick to downplay any signs of division in the party. When asked if his comments were directed at Deluzio, he clarified in a text, “I was speaking generally—not referring to anything in particular.” He also affirmed his support for repealing Trump’s universal tariffs.
As Rep. Jason Crow remarked, Democrats are likely to unify through “this crazy thing called legislating, where you actually bring people together of diverse views, and you see what people can agree on."
Max Fischer for TROIB News
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