Democrats Slam Tariffs as Weakening Economy; Most Republicans Silent
On the first day of higher tariffs for dozens of countries, prominent Democratic members of the House Ways and Means Committee attacked the policy, while the Republican chairman put a positive spin on soft employment numbers. The Senate minority leader used his daily floor speech to tie the tariffs to broader economic woes, while Republican leadership focused on Democrats' obstructions to prompt confirmation votes for presidential nominees.
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Ways and Means Committee ranking member Richard Neal of Massachusetts issued a statement that said, in part: "While working families continue to feel the weight of rising costs, economic uncertainty, and a softening labor market, President Trump and Congressional Republicans are making matters worse at every turn."
Neal said the so-called strategy of hiking tariffs "is one that has already proven to stunt small business investment and terrify the economy-at-large."
He added, "This morning the July jobs report showed that the U.S. labor market slowed markedly in the second quarter of 2025, with only 106,000 total jobs added, an average of just 35,000 jobs per month over the last three months."
Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo., focused on the new figure of 73,000 new jobs in July (a healthy job market tends to add at least 150,000). "This week, we saw how the Trump economy is firing on all cylinders: strong economic growth, better trade deals, wages outpacing price increases, tamed inflation, and now, a job market that keeps going," he said in a statement. "Small businesses and job creators can be confident and invest in the future because they finally have a President who is fighting for Main Street and putting America’s economic interests first."
The top Democrat on the committee's trade subcommittee, Rep. Linda Sanchez of California, said that the tariff hikes continue "the pattern of extortion and corruption we've seen from this administration. The president threatens high tariffs unless countries give into his ultimatums -- often on issues unrelated to trade, like punishing Canada for recognizing Palestine.
"Meanwhile, it’s American workers and families who are left paying the price for this chaos as prices rise, the economy falters and job losses have reached their highest levels since the pandemic. It’s time to end this madness. Congress must reclaim our constitutional authority over trade and end President [Donald] Trump’s ongoing abuse of tariffs."
Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va., said the country is losing manufacturing jobs in the wake of higher cost inputs.
"Today’s brutal jobs report confirms that President Trump’s tariffs are a major drag on the U.S. economy. But as Trump’s tariffs slowly strangle the economy, he is announcing huge new tariffs that will squeeze it even harder," he said in a statement.
He said "Republicans [are] unwilling to break with Trump as he wrecks our economy," and support bills to rescind the emergencies that underlie the tariffs.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said in a floor speech: "It is disturbing to say, but the chickens are coming home to roost on Donald Trump’s destructive trade war, and the American people are paying the price.
"You sow chaos, Donald Trump, you reap chaos. That's what the president is finding out this morning."
He added, "Asking Americans to bear the brunt of 15% tariffs is no sane person’s definition of victory. Instead of cutting off five of your fingers, we're only cutting off three! Don't you want to congratulate us?"
The president announced on social media that he will be firing the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the agency that runs the surveys for, and produces, the jobs report. "She will be replaced with someone much more competent and qualified," he wrote. "Important numbers like this must be fair and accurate, they can’t be manipulated for political purposes."