BANGOR, Maine (WABI) – After President Trump imposed new tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China, Maine congressional leaders released statements on the move.
Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) said “President Trump campaigned on tariffs as a tool to level the playing field between American workers and industries and our foreign competitors.”
“I don’t agree with Trump on everything, but he’s right that the old deal stinks, and we need a new one,” said Golden.
“Tariffs push back against decades of free trade and globalization that prioritized low prices above all else. It was a race to the bottom that left America deep in trade debt and dependent on foreign nations and gutted our manufacturing sector, domestic supply chains, and entire middle-class communities.”
“By privileging our own production and industries — something other countries already do — tariffs can help us rewire our economy for production, not just consumption,“ said Golden.
“We can incentivize job creation and manufacturing while leveling the playing field and rebalancing our trade. These tariffs are also a leveraging tool to help crack down on the deadly flow of fentanyl into our country.”
“Reversing the damage of decades of globalization will take time,” said Golden.
“In the meanwhile, every dollar raised in tariff revenue should be used to offset costs for Americans or invest in and protect American jobs and industries. Paired with increased energy production, support for unions, regulatory reform, and infrastructure investment, tariffs are one piece of the puzzle for building a strong, production-based economy that works for working families.”
Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) expressed concern on tariffs.
“President Trump’s tariffs will have devastating consequences for Mainers and our economy, driving up costs for working families and destabilizing key industries that our state relies on,” said Pingree.
“A 25 percent tariff on essential imports from Canada—including home heating oil, electricity, and raw materials for our mills and fisheries—is nothing more than an added tax on hardworking Mainers, who are already grappling with high costs. Rural communities will feel the brunt of these price hikes, particularly those in Aroostook and Washington counties who rely on electricity imported from New Brunswick. And let’s not forget the impact on our lobster industry, which is still recovering from previous trade wars and now faces potential retaliatory tariffs from Canada, a key processing hub for Maine-caught lobster.”
“Tariffs can be a useful tool when implemented in a responsible, targeted way,” said Pingree.
“But these broad, indiscriminate tariffs will only drive up costs for hardworking Americans and make it more difficult for businesses to stay competitive. We should be investing in policies that truly support domestic manufacturing—like the Inflation Reduction Act and the CHIPS and Science Act, which are already creating good-paying jobs here at home. These tariffs are bad policy, plain and simple.”
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