Cantwell Questions Trump Trade Head on Tariffs That Have ‘Wreaked Havoc on the Economy’

04.08.25

Cantwell Questions Trump Trade Head on Tariffs That Have 'Wreaked Havoc on the Economy'

In committee hearing, USTR Jamieson Greer said Trump not backing off tariffs that caused global markets to plummet; Last Thursday, Cantwell introduced a bipartisan bill that would reassert Congress' role in setting & overseeing U.S. trade policy; In less than a week, her legislation has picked up 12 new cosponsors, half Ds and half Rs, & received endorsement from world's largest retail trade org

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), senior member of the Senate Finance Committee and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, pressed United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on the administration's slapdash implementation of sweeping tariffs without sufficient input or accountability to Congress.

Prior to President Trump's implementation of the tariffs, there was no formal bipartisan briefing of Congress detailing how the tariff rates were set, analyzing on how they might impact the American economy, or even communicating what the White House was aiming to accomplish.

"What did the Trump administration do to prepare [Congress], to communicate with us, to tell us about findings as it relates to these emergency orders by the President?" Sen. Cantwell asked during a hearing today in the Senate Finance Committee.

"Our staff, the USTR staff, in the in the past two months that we've been in office, have had over 200 formal engagements with staff on the Hill," Greer responded. "We also had the President issue very publicly his America First trade policy memorandum, which specifically said that he was going to look into the trade deficit and the possibilities of tariffs."

Cantwell responded: "So, we've wreaked havoc on the economy by having one of the largest drops of the market. We have people's 401(k)s, in panic. We have retail organizations, like the retail industry, National Retail Federation, American Apparel Industry, Outdoor Association, Consumer Technology, Computer and Communications Industry, Main Street Alliance, Small Business Majority, all anxious, asking us to do something. And you're saying, 'Well, some people have passed some notes to staff.'"

She continued: "We should be building alliances as a way to counter China, but the alliance building process now will become harder, and people are going to wonder, well, is the United States going to pull another fast one again and just wreak havoc?"

Greer said the United States has seen "many times in past decades when we have had real robust trade disputes with our partners."

Sen. Cantwell responded: "I'm for trade. I represent trade. I represent a trade economy. I represent the success of what innovation and trade gets you. But you're coming here this morning with this, not only tanking of the market and 401(k)s, now you're coming here telling me that tariff is the tool. And I'm telling you -- innovation is the tool!"

The bill has since picked up 12 additional cosponsors - an equal mix of Republicans and Democrats - and been endorsed by multiple major U.S. business organizations, including the National Retail Federation, which is the largest retail trade association in the world.

In addition, a bipartisan group has introduced a companion version of Sen. Cantwell's legislation in the House of Representatives, also cosponsored by equal numbers of Republicans and Democrats.

The bill restores Congress' authority and responsibility over tariffs as outlined in Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution by placing the following limits on the president's power to impose tariffs:

• To enact a new tariff, the president must notify Congress of the imposition of (or increase in) the tariff within 48 hours.
• • The Congressional notification must include an explanation of the president's reasoning for imposing or raising the tariff, and
  • Provide analysis of potential impact on American businesses and consumers.
• Within 60 days, Congress must pass a joint resolution of approval on the new tariff, otherwise all new tariffs on imports expire after that deadline.
• Under the bill, Congress has the ability to end tariffs at any time by passing a resolution of disapproval.
• Anti-dumping and countervailing duties are excluded.

The full bill text is available HERE.

For the past three months, 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.
• In February, 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.
• On March 27, he announced plans to impose a 25% tax on all imported sedans, SUVs, crossovers, minivans, cargo vans, and light trucks, as well as some auto parts, beginning on April 2.
• On March 29, President Trump said, "I couldn't care less," if automakers raise the price of cars in response to his tariffs.
• On April 2, he announced a "National Economic Emergency," and signed an executive order declaring a 10% minimum baseline tariff on all countries as well as additional tariffs on nearly 60 countries.
• On April 7, he threatened to impose an additional 50% tariff on China.

Video of Sen. Cantwell's Q&A with Greer today is available HERE; audio is HERE; and a transcript is HERE.

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