Democrats are offering a bleak outlook on President Donald Trump’s escalating tariff campaign—even as one of their own acknowledges it appears to be working.
Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island told Fox News Digital that while Trump’s tariffs may look effective in the short term, consumers and industries could soon face major consequences.
“Within a few weeks or months, you’ll start seeing significant increases in most things you buy,” Reed said. “And also, you will see disruption in terms of a lot of our industries, because they’re not able to access product or supply.”
Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland voiced similar concerns, noting that Trump’s approach contradicts his own campaign promises.
“This is the president who said he was going to come in and reduce prices,” Van Hollen said. “Prices are going to rise, and they’re going to rise more over time.”
Despite these warnings, some Democrats see progress. Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania told Fox News Digital he believes the United States is winning the trade war.
“Absolutely,” Fetterman said when asked if the U.S. is making headway.
He added, “I’m a huge fan of Bill Maher… and he acknowledged that he thought the tariffs were going to tank the economy, and then he acknowledged that it didn’t. So, for me, it seems like the E.U. thing has been going well, and I guess we’ll see how it happens with China.”
President Trump intensified his tariff campaign this week, signing two new executive orders. One order raises tariffs on Canadian imports from 25% to 35%, citing Canada’s failure to help curb fentanyl and other illicit drug imports. The other order adjusts reciprocal tariff rates for countries with significant U.S. trade deficits.
The White House said the goal is to create “fair, balanced and reciprocal trade relationships.”
But Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts argued that Trump’s aggressive trade approach could backfire globally.
“Donald Trump may beat his chest and say, ‘Man, I made him take a 15 percent tariff or 25 percent tariff,’ but also understand that every one of those trading partners is now looking hard all around the rest of the world to find other customers,” Warren said.
She added, “The United States under Donald Trump is not a reliable trading partner. And that’s not good for any of us.”
Warren also blamed Trump’s trade chaos for the Federal Reserve’s decision not to lower interest rates earlier this year.
“Jerome Powell said last month that he would have lowered interest rates back in February if it hadn’t been for the chaos that Donald Trump was creating over trade,” she said. “And the consequence has been that American families have, for six months now, been paying more on credit cards, more on car loans, more home mortgages.”
Trump’s tariff policies have already reshaped international trade. Earlier this year, the administration imposed a baseline 10% tariff on all countries, with higher rates for nations running large trade surpluses with the U.S. Since then, several significant deals have been secured.
One major agreement was reached with the European Union, which pledged to purchase $750 billion in American energy and invest $600 billion in the U.S. economy by 2028. As part of the deal, the E.U. accepted a 15% tariff rate.
Another deal with Japan included a $550 billion investment into American industries and expanded access to Japanese markets for U.S. goods. Japan also agreed to the 15% baseline tariff rate.
While many Democrats remain critical, Republicans have strongly backed Trump’s trade agenda.
Senator Ted Cruz of Texas called it a “big win.”
“I think it’s exactly the right approach,” he said. “It’s what I have been urging the president to do, and I think the successes he’s winning are big wins for America.”
Mocking Democratic concerns, Cruz quipped, “I’m shocked, shocked that Democrats are rooting for the economy to do badly under President Trump,” referencing a famous line from Casablanca.
“It’d be nice if some Democrats would put their partisan hatred for Trump aside and actually start working together for American workers and American jobs,” he added.
Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana praised the deal with the E.U., saying he hopes it leads to what he described as “ideal reciprocity.”
“Clearly, the president got a good deal from one perspective. The Europeans just caved, they did. Fifteen percent tariffs on them, zero on us, commitment to invest in our country,” Kennedy said.
“But the part of the deal I like the most—the E.U. and the president agreed that a whole bunch of goods would be tariff-free. That is, no American tariffs and no E.U. tariffs.”
“Let the free enterprise system work. May the best product at the best price win,” he said. “That, to me, would be the perfect situation.”
