Lawmakers say Trump’s tariffs will hurt Wisconsin consumers
Tariffs on Chinese goods took effect on Feb. 4, while those on goods from Canada and Mexico have been put on hold for a month.

After President Donald Trump announced the first tariffs on imported goods of his new administration, lawmakers are warning that his actions will hurt working families.
Trump, who campaigned on a promise to impose tariffs on all foreign goods and services, said on Jan. 31 that he would impose a 25% tariff on most imports from Canada and Mexico and a 10% tariff on imports from China. He told reporters on Feb. 3 that tariffs on goods from the European Union could soon follow.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau quickly retaliated by imposing tariffs on American imports. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum threatened to do the same. Both leaders said on Feb. 3 that they had reached deals with the United States to delay any tariffs for one month. China’s ministry of finance announced retaliatory tariffs on numerous U.S. goods on Feb. 4, the same day U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods took effect.
Tariffs typically raise the cost of consumer goods, as American importers pass the extra cost of goods on to them through higher prices. Trump acknowledged in a Feb. 2 social media post that American families may be hurt by his tariffs: “THIS WILL BE THE GOLDEN AGE OF AMERICA! WILL THERE BE SOME PAIN? YES, MAYBE (AND MAYBE NOT!). BUT WE WILL MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, AND IT WILL ALL BE WORTH THE PRICE THAT MUST BE PAID.”
“Families across the country are going to be paying more out of their wallets from the gas pump and the grocery store – and it will only get worse when retaliation hits,” Wisconsin Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin said in a Feb. 1 press release. “Tariffs are an important tool to crack down on other countries’ unfair practices, and one I have long supported using. But the tariffs the President announced today will force Wisconsin families to pay the price. Industries where people grow things and make things – like Wisconsin’s iconic farming and manufacturing sectors – are going to be crushed by this. Families across the country are going to be paying more out of their wallets from the gas pump and the grocery store – and it will only get worse when retaliation hits.”
Democratic Rep. Gwen Moore said on Feb. 2: “Donald Trump has plunged our country into a dangerous trade war and the American people will bear the cost. Thanks to Trump, American businesses will be saddled with higher costs, which could lead to higher prices on goods Americans need. Prices will likely go up [at] the grocery store, as people still feel squeezed at the checkout counter. The price of homes is expected to increase, as materials used to build homes become more expensive, which comes as homeownership remains unaffordable to many.”
Republican Sen. Ron Johnson told Newsmax on Feb. 3: “I hope we don’t end up with long-term 25% tariffs against each country. I don’t believe that’s productive. It’s going to hurt Americans, American companies, American exporters. It will hurt American consumers long term. Again, I just can’t predict where this all goes, but I’m concerned.”
“I trust President Trump’s negotiating tactics and believe that this course of action will ultimately save lives and strengthen our economy,” Republican Rep. Tony Wied said in a post on Facebook on Feb. 2, saying the tariffs would boost border security and help American workers.
According to The Hill, Republican Rep. Derrick Van Orden told CNN in November that he backed Trump’s promised tariffs, “And if it means that I have to pay more for guacamole but fentanyl poisoning does not come across the Canadian and Mexican border, and our mothers and sisters and brothers and daughters aren’t poisoned to death by this chemical that’s coming across the borders, I’m willing to pay for guacamole, as is the rest of the United States of America.” His office did not immediately respond to a request for additional comment.
The offices of Reps. Scott Fitzgerald (R), Glenn Grothman (R), Mark Pocan (D), Bryan Steil (R), and Tom Tiffany (R) did not immediately respond to a request for comment.