Durbin Denounces Trump Tariffs In Senate Floor Speech, Emphasizes That This Will Hurt American Families
WASHINGTON – In a speech on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke out against President Trump’s tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China that he announced on Friday. As of today, President Trump has now delayed for one month the 25 percent tariff on Mexico and Canada as their governments negotiate with the Trump Administration. In his remarks, Durbin underscored that the Trump tariffs would not lower prices, as President Trump promised during his campaign, but instead spike prices for Americans.
Durbin began by speaking to the chaos that the Trump Administration has inflicted on the U.S. government since President Trump’s inauguration just two weeks ago. Several policies, including a federal funding freeze, have been announced by the Trump Administration only to be edited or redacted hours later. As a result, government agencies are struggling to maintain function.
“What this Administration has tried to do during the first two weeks is almost impossible to describe… So many executive orders, so many changes, so many speeches by the President, so many threats, so many changes in the way this government is run, and many of them raising serious questions that even go to the heart of our Constitution,” Durbin said.
“Since President Trump took office two weeks ago, he has sowed chaos across the federal government. But, despite his campaign promises, something has been conspicuously absent from his agenda – lowering the cost of living for Americans,” Durbin said. “The unprecedented, economically questionable tariffs he announced on Friday on three of America’s largest trading partners—25 percent on Canada and Mexico, 10 percent on China—show just that.”
Durbin continued, sharing statements from organizations worried about the implementation of these Trump tariffs and their impact on the cost of goods in the United States.
“Despite campaigning on a promise of lowering prices, these tariffs will… do just the opposite. American families will find things more expensive. Don’t just take my word for it,” Durbin said. “The U.S. Chamber of Commerce said that the tariffs will ‘only raise prices for American families and upend supply chains.’”
“The National Association of Manufactures said, ‘Ultimately, manufacturers will bear the brunt of these tariffs, undermining our ability to sell our products at a competitive price and putting American jobs at risk,’” Durbin continued.
“The President himself even admitted that these economic measures will cause pain for many American families,” Durbin said in reference to President Trump’s social media post on Sunday.
Durbin pointed to the harm that could come to Illinois’ own economy as a result of the Trump tariffs, as Illinois relies on Canada and Mexico to purchase the state’s goods and agricultural products. In 2023, Illinois, which ranks first among the 50 states in imports from Canada, exported a total of $20.55 billion in products to Canada. Additionally, Illinois exports to Mexico in 2023 totaled $12.93 billion.
“Trade between my home state of Illinois and Canada and Mexico are essential to the strength of our economy… Illinois is the fourth largest state exporter in the nation. And what are our first and second largest export markets? Canada and Mexico. As a result of these tariffs the President is proposing, working families will feel the pain,” Durbin said.
“These tariffs will drive up costs for manufacturers, they will disrupt our supply chains, and they already have inspired retaliatory tariffs, which American consumers will feel at the store,” Durbin said.
While President Trump announced that he plans to delay the tariffs with Mexico and Canada, Americans will bear the brunt of his irresponsible economic policy.
“Let’s be clear about one thing – unless you are a tech billionaire… the President does not care about making your life better. He only cares about enriching himself at the expense of everyday Americans,” Durbin said.
“So, when you wonder why the stock market is dipping, when the price of eggs and potatoes goes up at the grocery store, when your oil change is marked up, know that it was because of the new President,” Durbin concluded his remarks.
Video of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.
Audio of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.
Footage of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations.
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