In a sharp contrast to the majority of his party’s enraged response, a moderate Democrat is voicing measured hope over President Donald Trump’s position on tariffs.
In a long statement, Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, noted that he himself suggested a 10% blanket tariff on U.S. imports earlier this year and expressed satisfaction that Trump’s baseline policy was the same; he even publicly promised to cooperate with Trump on enshrining it in federal law in a following interview with HeadlinesForever Digital.
The president is developing his tariff plan on the basis of a universal 10% tariff like the one I suggested in the BUILT USA Act, which I can now say pleases me. Golden remarked in his statement, “This ring fence around the American economy is a solid start to reducing our unsustainable trade deficits.
Working with the president to repair the damaged “free trade” system that enriched international companies but devastated industrial towns all throughout the country excites me. Tariffs, however, have to go hand in one with policies giving American families’ success first priority.
He observed, though, that Trump “added several new tariff policies” in addition to the 10% flat tax and that he would want time to thoroughly examine the policies before commenting on them more.
We have to ensure the new strategy helps working people—that means backing unions, the trades and apprenticeship programs, reducing rules impeding production, releasing American energy and using tariff income to assist domestic manufacturers generating good-paying jobs for Americans.
Though they cannot be the last one, tariffs are a first step in changing a corrupt trade system.
In a quick interview Thursday, he said to HeadlinesForever Digital that he was willing to cooperate with Trump on codifying the 10% tariffs policy into federal law.
I’m incredibly happy he added it to his more general approach he unveiled yesterday. Golden stated, “As for the reciprocal tariffs, I would think he wants flexibility; he likely prefers to do that via an executive order.” The 10% worldwide tax, in my opinion, should be included in a longer-term U.S. policy. So, you know, I’m wishing I could assist the president in getting certain Congressional members to back a measure accomplishing that and perhaps get it on his desk.
Though I believe the president and his staff would have to work hard to ensure House Republican support, you know, could I locate some like-minded Democrats for a 10% worldwide tariff if they lacked significant defections? That seems to be the case.
Although far from a complete acceptance of Trump’s tariff strategy, Golden’s remarks are nonetheless more hopeful than those of his fellow Democratic legislators.
Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., told Axios, “I have always said that when used strategically, tariffs are a critical tool.” The important term, though, is “strategically.” The haphazard and quick application of these far-reaching tariffs worries me.
Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., the highest Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, promised to push a vote against the 10% blanket levy based on the new national emergency Trump is declaring.
Soon, I will present a privileged motion to mandate a vote on terminating the fabricated national emergency Trump is invoking to support these taxes. Republicans can’t keep avoiding this; it’s time they indicate if they back the economic suffering Trump is causing for their citizens, Meeks said in a statement.
On numerous important instances, Golden has been known to depart from his party.
Trump won Maine’s 2nd Congressional District, which he has represented since January 2019, by almost 10% in 2024.
Trump’s strategy calls for a 10% blanket tariff on all imports into the United States and tariffs of up to 50% on both friends and enemies.
Though in most situations the U.S. rate is lower than the foreign nation’s, it also brings some degree of reciprocal duties on nations taxing U.S. goods.
April 2, 2025, will always be known as the day American industry was resurrected. The day America’s fate was restored. And the day that we began to make America prosperous again,” Trump said in remarks introducing his proposal Wednesday.