PolitiFact

Donald Trump stated on September 27, 2023 in a speech in Michigan:

When I took office, “the auto industry was on its knees gasping its last breath.” Trump administration “tariffs and taxes saved the American auto industry from extinction."

By Louis Jacobson, Amy Sherman• October 5, 2023

Donald Trump stated on May 09, 2019 in remarks at the White House:

Tariffs are "paid for mostly by China, by the way, not by us."

By Louis Jacobson• May 14, 2019

Peter Navarro stated on August 18, 2019 in an interview:

U.S. tariffs on China are "not hurting anybody" in the United States.

By Tom Kertscher• August 20, 2019

Angus King stated on March 04, 2018 in in an interview:

"China, my understanding is, supplies 4 percent of the steel in the U.S."

By John Kruzel• March 8, 2018

Ted Cruz stated on May 01, 2016 in an interview on "Meet the Press":

Says Donald Trump’s "only economic agenda is imposing massive taxes on the American people with a 40 percent tax hike of a giant tariff."

By Linda Qiu• May 1, 2016

JD Vance stated on August 25, 2024 in an interview on NBC's "Meet the Press":

“Anything that you lose on the tariff from the perspective of the consumer, you gain in higher wages, so you're ultimately much better off.”

By Louis Jacobson• August 29, 2024

Jared Polis stated on May 15, 2024 in an X post:

Tariffs are a “direct, regressive tax on Americans” and President Joe Biden’s new tariffs on Chinese goods will “hit every family.”

By Louis Jacobson, Samantha Putterman• May 17, 2024

Donald Trump stated on March 08, 2018 in remarks before a Cabinet meeting:

American aluminum and steel "are vital to our national security. ... They are the bedrock of our defense industrial base."

By Louis Jacobson• March 9, 2018

The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute stated on October 23, 2025 in a statement on X:

An ad from the government of Ontario, Canada, “misrepresents” President Ronald Reagan’s April 25, 1987, address about tariffs.

By Louis Jacobson, Amy Sherman• October 24, 2025

Donald Trump stated on October 12, 2018 in a speech:

"All across Ohio, steel mills are reopening."

By Kyra Haas• October 24, 2018

Hillary Clinton stated on June 02, 2016 in a foreign policy speech:

"A trade war is something very different (than curbing new trade agreements). We went down that road in the 1930s. It made the Great Depression longer and more painful."

By Louis Jacobson• June 6, 2016

Joe Biden stated on September 21, 2020 in a speech:

Says President Donald Trump started a trade war that “led to a surge in farm bankruptcies.”

By Eric Litke• October 2, 2020

Donald Trump stated on September 15, 2016 in an interview on Live From the State Capitol:

"New York State has been horribly, horribly hurt by NAFTA"

By Dan Clark• October 17, 2016

Ben Sasse stated on May 31, 2018 in a statement:

"We’ve been down this road before—blanket protectionism is a big part of why America had a Great Depression."

By Louis Jacobson• May 31, 2018

Karoline Leavitt stated on March 11, 2025 in a White House press briefing:

“Tariffs are a tax cut for the American people.”

By Louis Jacobson• March 13, 2025

Joe Biden stated on June 24, 2020 in an ad:

“Trump lost a trade war that he started.”

By Louis Jacobson• June 30, 2020

Noah Smith stated on March 07, 2018 in a Bloomberg View column:

"Since 1990, production of metals in the U.S. has held roughly constant, but the number of people employed in the industry has fallen steadily."

By Louis Jacobson• March 8, 2018

Kamala Harris stated on August 12, 2019 in a CNN interview:

It "is estimated that as many as 300,000 auto workers may be out of a job before the end of the year."

By Chris Nichols• August 21, 2019

Donald Trump stated on April 09, 2018 in in a tweet:

"When a car is sent to the United States from China, there is a Tariff to be paid of 2 1/2%. When a car is sent to China from the United States, there is a Tariff to be paid of 25%."

By John Kruzel• April 9, 2018

The Other 98% stated on July 24, 2018 in a Facebook post:

"Trump just gave a $12 billion bailout to farmers hurt by his failed tariffs. This will cost every household in the U.S. $95 … Trump is borrowing the money from China since his tax cuts blew a trillion dollar hole in the deficit."

By Lucia Geng• August 1, 2018

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