Cantwell Raises Alarm on Anticipated Impact of Trump Tariffs on WA Consumers and Economy
EDMONDS, WA – Today, Sen. Maria Cantwell, ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, released the following statement after massive tariffs went into effect on some of the U.S.’ and the State of Washington’s largest trading partners:
“President Trump’s decision to raise tariff rates again today is another tariff tax hit on the budgets of American families. Families were promised lower costs but now are facing up to a 20% tax on shoes, backpacks, and clothing from countries like Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam, just as students are returning to school. Small businesses are squeezed as their input costs rise and their customers struggle. Manufacturing in the United States is getting more expensive as higher tariffs hike the cost of key components that come in from the European Union, or from Canada or Mexico. The Trump tariff tax is increasing costs and threatening jobs and we are seeing economic warning signs of stagflation starting to flash.”
These top trading partners of Washington state businesses saw massive tariff increases today.
Washington’s Top Import Partners in 2024 and Tariffs They Now Face
#1 Canada ($17.4 billion)— 35% tariff
#2 China ($11.2 billion) — 30% tariff
#3 South Korea ($7.3 billion) — 15% tariff
#4 Japan ($6.8 billion) —15% tariff
#5 Vietnam ($2.8 billion) — 20% tariff
#6 Taiwan ($1.6 billion) — 20% tariff
#7 Mexico ($1.5 billion) —could face a 25% tariff
#8 Germany ($1.3 billion) —15% tariff
(source: https://www.trade.gov/data-visualization/tradestats-express-state-trade-partners)
Earlier this year, Sen. Cantwell introduced the bipartisan Trade Review Act of 2025, which is modeled after the War Powers Resolution of 1973 and would reestablish limits on the president’s ability to impose unilateral tariffs without the approval of Congress. Her 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.
On August 1, Sen. Cantwell appeared on MSNBC’s Morning Joe to point out that President Trump’s claims that he would lower costs for American families was always “a fallacy.” The day before, She joined Minority Leader Chuck Schumer for a press conference railing against President Trump’s tariff chaos.
On June 12, Sen. Cantwell participated in a spotlight forum on tariffs hosted by Democratic senators, where experts agreed with the Senator: Trump’s trade war is short-term pain with no long-term gain.
On June 11, Sen. Cantwell joined 30 Senators in filing an amicus brief in a key case, Oregon v. Department of Homeland Security, challenging the Trump Administration’s abuse of emergency powers to impose global tariffs on nearly every U.S. trading partner, including some of America’s closest allies.
On April 16, Sen. Cantwell joined nine local business owners and leaders at the Port of Seattle to push back against the Trump administration’s tariffs-first trade policy.
On March 4, Sen. Cantwell delivered a speech on the Senate floor raising concerns about the economic fallout of Trump’s newly announced tariffs.
On February 13, Sen. Cantwell appeared in an interview with CNBC, she pushed back against President Trump’s aggressive use of tariffs, calling it a ‘tariff tantrum,’ instead of focusing on opening up export markets and lowering costs for American consumers.
On February 5, Sen. Cantwell delivered a speech on the Senate floor calling for the United States to establish new trade agreements and to repudiate the trade philosophy of President Donald Trump.
On January 16, during a Senate Finance Committee hearing, she warned Trump’s Treasury Secretary nominee, Scott Bessent, that Trump’s proposed tariffs that would harm growers, manufacturers, businesses, and consumers in Washington state.
In Washington state, two out of every five jobs are tied to trade and trade-related industries. Moreover, according to the U.S. Trade Representative, nationally, jobs supported by the export of goods pay up to an estimated 18 percent above the national average. More information about how those tariffs will affect consumers and businesses in the State of Washington can be found HERE.
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