As part of our ongoing In-House Opinions survey of Southern California members of Congress, we asked local representatives for their thoughts on the one-year anniversary of President Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day,” on which he set tariffs on imported goods in a plan he said would be good for the United States’ economy. Here are some replies:
Rep. Young Kim, R-Anaheim Hills: “I am a proponent of free, open and fair trade that our region, the ‘Gateway to the Pacific Rim,’ benefits from. When President Trump has used tariffs as leverage to broker new trade deals and lower barriers for American businesses, we have seen success. I hope he continues working to lower trade barriers and expand trade across the world.”
Rep. Mark Takano, D-Riverside: “Trump’s tariffs have raised the costs of goods here in California and across the nation. But it is only one part of the affordability crisis Trump has created: gutting healthcare funding, spiking gas prices with the Iran war and cutting food assistance to seniors living on fixed income. We cannot afford Donald Trump’s cruel agenda any longer.”
Rep. Norma Torres, D-Pomona: “One year after President Trump’s so-called ‘Liberation Day,’ Americans are worse off. The president promised lower costs on ‘Day One.’ Instead, families are paying more for everything from groceries to gas while their paychecks fall behind. His tariffs are a hidden tax, already costing households up to $1,700, with more increases on the way. This isn’t economic independence; it’s economic strain. Billions of taxpayer dollars are being poured into a war of choice with Iran, while costs at home keep rising. That money should be lowering healthcare premiums, cutting costs, and supporting working families. This administration has only made the cost of living harder and job opportunities have been limited. I’m fighting to bring costs down because Americans deserve better: affordable healthcare, stable housing, and the ability to care for their families without falling behind.”
Rep. Laura Friedman, D-Burbank: “Here’s what California families have got one year after Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’: higher prices on groceries and gas, a tariff scheme so illegal the Supreme Court had to step in and shut it down and an economy rattled by chaos and uncertainty. It’s almost like he purposely aimed a wrecking ball at the wallets of hardworking Americans already being stretched thin.”
Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Torrance: “One year after so-called ‘Liberation Day,’ the only thing Americans have been liberated from is money in their pockets. Trump’s economy has been a total disaster. Inflation continues to rise, job losses are increasing and high gas prices are causing serious pain at the pump. While families sit around the kitchen table trying to stretch every dollar, Trump is focused on picking out the color scheme for the drapes in his new ballroom. That contrast says it all: Working Americans are tightening their belts, and Trump is designing a banquet hall.”
Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Corona: “I support free and fair trade, which President Trump and economists acknowledge simply wasn’t taking place between the U.S. and numerous trade partners, like China and even Canada, which subsidizes lumber. President Trump’s push to put America on an equal footing has so far resulted in more than $10 trillion in announced investments by companies to onshore job growth and economic opportunity here in our country. Together with Republicans in Congress, President Trump has advanced policies to grow America’s energy production and independence, as well as historic tax cuts to let American workers keep more of the money they earn. In total, President Trump and Republicans in Congress are enacting an economic framework that puts the American worker first.”
Rep. George Whitesides, D-Santa Clarita: Over the past year, as a result of the President’s tariffs, we have seen the prices rise on nearly everything from groceries and household appliances, to the lumber we need to rebuild homes and businesses after the Southern California wildfires. While tariffs can be a strategic tool, reckless tariffs pass costs down to the American consumer. In Congress, I have voted against placing unfair tariffs on Canada and advocated to restore Congress’ authority over import tariffs. As costs go up across the board, I have fought to make life more affordable for my constituents by advancing the Road to 21st Century Housing Act to bring down the cost of housing and pushing the administration for a plan to lower oil costs. I will continue to demand accountability and solutions from the entire government so that decisions like tariffs do not raise costs on hardworking Americans.