Trump Got It Wrong: Energy Prices Will Increase, US Manufacturing At Risk Due to New Tariffs

U.S. Manufacturing, Pollution Accountability Absent From Trump’s Tariff Approach
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Ginny Roscamp, Deputy Press Secretary, Sierra Club, ginny.roscamp@sierraclub.org

UPDATE: On Monday afternoon, Trump paused the tariffs in exchange for additional cooperation on border security,

Washington, DC – Over the weekend, U.S. President Donald Trump slapped an additional 25% tariff on American importers of products from Canada and Mexico (except Canadian energy products, which will face a 10% tariff), and an additional 10% tariff on American importers of goods from China, all of which will go into effect tomorrow. Canada and Mexico have already vowed to retaliate with hundreds of billions of dollars more in tariffs. Having done nothing to prepare the U.S. economy, Trump’s tariffs will likely raise prices on a range of essential goods including food, cars, and personal electronics. 

A blanket tariff against our three largest trading partners will not protect American workers, companies, or families. Instead, Trump’s tariffs will make it harder and more expensive for the U.S. to make and finish metals critical to building out clean energy infrastructure and supporting national defense. This weekend’s decision—especially coupled with Trump’s dangerous clean manufacturing law spending freeze—starts an expensive trade war with our allies, puts American manufacturing jobs on the line, and gives polluting countries like China more space to dominate the global marketplace. 

In response to the news, Sierra Club Executive Director Ben Jealous released the following statement:

“Donald Trump is again making the wrong move that puts even more pain on American families. The United States is demonstrating clean, billion-dollar, cutting-edge technologies to make aluminum and steel more efficiently, while some of our fiercest global competitors double down on pollution. Trump’s expensive trade war will hurt American workers and consumers by driving up costs to make clean American steel, aluminum, vehicles, and energy products. Instead of demanding that Americans pay more, Trump should support the policies that will grow domestic manufacturing, reduce costs, and help working families.”

Read more on the Sierra Club’s position on a smart approach to tariffs: “Tariffs Should Be a Scalpel, Not a Sledgehammer”.

 

About the Sierra Club

The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.