Mobile Courant

U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville has expressed his approval of former President Donald Trump’s recent imposition of tariffs in an op-ed published in Newsweek. The tariffs, referred to as "Liberation Day" tariffs, were implemented by Trump on more than 180 countries and territories. According to Tuberville, these tariffs have started to yield positive outcomes for Alabama's manufacturers, businesses, workers, and producers.

In his op-ed, Tuberville explained that, "It’s been two weeks since President Donald Trump announced tariffs on more than 180 countries and territories that have been ripping us off for decades. A full-blown meltdown followed that day. But those of us who have been following President Trump for a long time knew better than to panic. The president is a master negotiator—and if there’s one thing he understands, it’s how to create leverage."

He further noted that Trump's strategy with tariffs serves as a tool for creating leverage in trade negotiations. "That leverage is clearly working, as more than 75 countries have come crawling to the United States begging to negotiate better trade deals in exchange for the president lowering tariffs," Tuberville stated.

The senator criticized the media and Democrats for their response to the tariffs, adding, "Only Democrats and their friends in the media would find a reason to be upset about that. Sadly, I’m convinced that many Democrats and woke media would rather see America fail than watch us succeed with President Trump."

Discussing international trade, Tuberville argued that "the international trade system has been stacked against the United States for years." He provided examples from Alabama, mentioning how "Vietnamese and Indian exporters have been adulterating honey with cane, rice, and corn sweeteners before dumping it on the U.S. domestic market," thereby impacting local producers adversely.

Tuberville emphasized that these tariffs have prompted Vietnam and India to negotiate, with more than 75 other countries signaling their intention to discuss trade terms with the United States. This has led Trump to announce a 90-day tariff pause, except for a 10% blanket duty on U.S. imports.

China remains a challenging trade partner, Tuberville noted, asserting that the heavy tariffs imposed on China are part of a clear strategy by Trump, who expects China to negotiate fairer trade terms. Tuberville concluded, "My money is on President Trump to win in the end.”

Senator Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate, serving on multiple committees including Armed Services, Agriculture, and Veterans' Affairs.

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