Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) said on Sunday that while most Democrats are not completely opposed to tariffs, he criticized President Trump's approach as “reckless.”
“Most of us are not opposed to tariffs. It's a complete stop. I think tariffs are an important tool in the toolkit. I think the way he handles tariffs is how he handles everything else right now.”
“We want change,” she continued. “But there are reckless changes, then there are responsible changes, and the way he's on again smacks Canada as if Canada is exactly the same as China.
Slotkin criticised tariffs targeting Canada, noting that Northern neighbors are the state's top market for farmers selling goods.
“So, in principle, I'm not particularly opposed to China. But Canadian? I, as a province, for our farmers, that's our number one market, Canada. So I just want a female, not a sledgehammer for these things,” she said.
After months of threat, Trump's 25% tariff came into effect last week on American neighbours to the North, marking a turning point for the two relationships between the US and its top trading partners.
However, a few days later, Trump signed a tariff exemption for most imports from Canada and Mexico, delaying implementation until April 2nd. At that point, the President plans to impose mutual tariffs on foreign countries with US import obligations.
Despite the extension, tariff threats have had economic impacts in the US and elsewhere, and they are full of strong pushbacks. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has denounced the tariff plan as “what we need to do is very stupid.”
