Cantwell joins Washington Council on International Trade for Q&A with former USTR head on how the current admin’s tariffs harm the Pacific Northwest In WA state, 2 out of every 5 jobs are tied to trade-related industries; Trump’s actions are “a threat to our ethos,” Cantwell says
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, joined the Washington Council of International Trade (WCIT) for a Q&A session on the whiplash caused by the administration’s chaotic tariff policies – and how they particularly harm the Pacific Northwest, which is among the most trade-dependent regions in the country.
The Q&A was moderated by WCIT President Lori Otto Punke and joined by former U.S. Trade Representative and current National Foreign Trade Council President Demetrios Marantis. Sen. Cantwell said that the current administration’s approach to trade – with a focus on punitive tariffs, even with America’s largest trading partners and closest allies, as opposed to innovation and alliance-building– is fundamentally at odds with how the Pacific Northwest has historically built its trade economy.
“The consequences to us in the Pacific Northwest is really a threat to our ethos. We are one of the most trade-dependent states in the country, and we just see the world differently. We believe that innovation matters more than the tariffs in a fight [on] who’s going to win in aerospace or agriculture or software or any of these issues. It is like we are in this horse race, but the President wants to put 25 pounds on our horse and make it harder.
“And what do we want to do in the Northwest? We like opening markets. We like building alliances. We like innovating our way to success.
“So make no mistake about it — one of the states that could see the biggest economic impacts from this is ours. And we have to be very loud about how foregoing an alliance approach of building more opportunities is really what we should be doing, if we want to win in an economy that changes in the blink of an eye,” Sen. Cantwell said.
WCIT is the Northwest’s premier organization advocating for trade and investment policies that increase the competitiveness of Northwest workers, farmers, and businesses. In addition to Sen. Cantwell, speakers at the Summit included U.S. Representatives Suzan DelBene (D,WA-01), Rick Larsen (D, WA-02), Dan Newhouse (R, WA-04), Kim Schrier (D, WA-08), Adam Smith (D, WA-09), and Emily Randall (D, WA-06).
In Washington state, two out of every five jobs are tied to trade and trade-related industries. More information on how President Trump’s tariffs on goods from Mexico, Canada, and China will affect consumers and businesses in the State of Washington can be found HERE. Nationwide:
- A 25% tariff on Canada and Mexico would add an estimated $144 billion a year to the cost of manufacturing in the United States.
- Tariffs on Canada and Mexico could increase U.S. car prices by as much as $12,000.
- According to the Yale Budget Lab, Trump’s proposed tariffs would result in the highest U.S. effective tariff rate in more than 80 years, and depending on the level of retaliation by other trading partners, will result in increased costs of between $1,600 and $2,000 per household. According to their analysis, food, clothing, cars, and electronics will all see above-average price increases.
Sen. Cantwell has remained a steadfast supporter of increased trade to grow the economy and keep prices in check in the State of Washington and nationwide. Sen. Cantwell was the leading voice in negotiations to end India’s 20% retaliatory tariff on American apples, which was imposed in response to tariffs on steel and aluminum and devastated Washington state’s apple exports. India had once been the second-largest export market for American apples, but after President Trump imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum in his first term, India imposed retaliatory tariffs in response and U.S. apple exports plummeted. The impact on Washington apple growers was severe: Apple exports from the state dropped from $120 million in 2017 to less than $1 million by 2023. In September 2023, following several years of Sen. Cantwell’s advocacy, India ended its retaliatory tariffs on apples and pulse crops which was welcome news to the state’s more than 1,400 apple growers and the 68,000-plus workers they support.
For the past six weeks, President Trump has been sowing economic chaos across the country with unpredictable and ever-changing tariff announcements. His back-and-forth announcements and actions, which have whipsawed American businesses and consumers, as well as close neighbors and allies, include:
- On January 31 — citing punishment for failing to crack down on fentanyl trafficking — the Trump administration announced plans to impose a 25% tax on many goods imported into the U.S. from Canada and Mexico and a 10% tax on goods imported from China, then abruptly postponed those tariffs.
- Last month, he doubled down, announcing an additional 25% tax on all steel and aluminum imports.
- At 12:01 a.m. ET on March 4, President Trump’s long-promised 25% tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada and 10% tariff increase on goods from China took effect, causing stock prices in the United States to plummet.
- Then, on March 5, he announced that automobiles from Canada and Mexico would be exempt from his tariffs for one month.
- The morning of March 6, he announced that he would suspend the tariffs for some products from Mexico. Then, later that same afternoon, he announced he was suspending most new tariffs on products from both Mexico and Canada until April 2.
- On March 11, Trump threatened to double tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum – increasing them to 50% – before reversing himself later the same day.
- On March 13, he threatened 200% tariffs on alcoholic products from the European Union, including all wine and Champagne.
Video of Sen. Cantwell’s Q&A today is HERE; audio is HERE; photos are HERE; and a transcript is HERE.
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