WASHINGTON — Congressional Republicans are standing behind President Donald Trump’s decision to impose foreign tariffs even as Democrats warn of higher costs for everyday Americans.
Trump signed executive orders over the weekend to impose 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico as well as 10% tariffs on imports from China. The trio of executive orders were set to take effect just after midnight on Tuesday, prompting outcry from those in Democratic circles due to retaliatory measures being threatened by all three countries.
However, several Republicans applauded Trump’s actions, especially after the tariffs on Canada and Mexico were temporarily suspended as the two countries continue negotiations over border security — something Republicans have pointed to as Trump “getting results.”
“Democrats and members of the media, take note,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said in a post on X. “You should get used to this or it’s going to be a very long four years.”
Pennsylvania Rep. G.T. Thompson, chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, also backed the tariffs, even as some Democrats raised concerns it would wreak havoc on the agricultural community.
“President Trump’s tariff policy has been an effective tool in leveling the global playing field and ensuring fair trade for American producers,” Thompson said in a statement over the weekend. “After four years of the Biden-Harris administration’s failure to expand foreign markets, which led to an inflated agricultural trade deficit of $45.5 billion, America’s producers deserve an administration that will fight for them.”
But other Republicans were not as convinced. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., who has typically advocated against implementing tariffs because of his state’s agricultural ties, sidestepped whether he agreed with the move.
“It sounds like the Mexican tariffs are already being paused,” Thune said on Monday ahead of the news on Canada’s pause. “We’ll see what happens.”
Sen. Susan Collins, a moderate Republican from Maine, warned that her state is closely integrated with Canada and could be negatively affected if tariffs are long-lasting.
“Certain tariffs will impose a significant burden on many families, manufacturers, the forest products industry, small businesses, lobstermen, and agricultural producers,” Collins said in a statement.

“I am working with the Trump administration to help its officials better understand the potential ramifications of certain tariffs on Maine and to find out more about their implementation, scope, duration, and other important information, including any exemptions they may make for northern border states, certain industries, agricultural producers, and others who rely on trade with Canada,” she added.
Democrats launch messaging campaign, attacking Trump over tariffs
Meanwhile, Democrats have capitalized on those concerns, unleashing a messaging campaign directly attacking Trump and Republicans for raising costs of groceries and others at the expense of everyday Americans.
“If these tariffs go through, they’ll be felt everywhere from your grocery store to the gas pump to local businesses, even your upcoming Super Bowl party,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., told reporters on Monday. “Because, of course, beer and guacamole are two of the biggest things consumed at the Super Bowl party, and they come from Mexico. So it might not happen this year, but it could happen in the future.”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, the top Democrat in the lower chamber, echoed similar sentiments, accusing Republicans of increasing costs when “life is already too expensive.”
“They promised to lower the high cost of living, but have done nothing to lower costs in the United States of America. Nothing,” Jeffries, D-N.Y., said in a statement. “The tariffs that are wide-ranging and have been imposed or threatened on our North American allies will not lower costs on hardworking American taxpayers. They will raise them.”
Trump acknowledged over the weekend that Americans could see an increase in everyday costs if tariffs remain in effect for a long period of time.
“THIS WILL BE THE GOLDEN AGE OF AMERICA! WILL THERE BE SOME PAIN? YES, MAYBE (AND MAYBE NOT!),” Trump said in a Truth Social post over the weekend. “WE WILL MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, AND IT WILL ALL BE WORTH THE PRICE THAT MUST BE PAID.”
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt criticized Schumer for his talking points about increased costs, chastising the top Senate Democrat for “whining about the cost of a pint of beer.”
“What price would you pay if your child was killed at the hands of an illegal immigrant who should’ve never made their way into this country in the first place, or if your child died at the hands of illegal Chinese fentanyl that was trafficked through both our southern and northern borders?” Leavitt said on Monday. “Democrats can either get on board ... or they can continue to lose elections as they did on Nov. 5.”