Sen. Todd Young wants clarity on Trump tariff strategy

By TIM SPEARS
WISH-TV | wishtv.com

Sen. Todd Young, R-Indiana, wants to see the Trump administration clarify its strategy on tariffs.

News 8 reached out to Young on the heels of last week’s large stock market sell-off, following President Donald Trump’s sweeping new tariffs on foreign goods.

Young

Young said he agrees America needs to “push back” against other countries’ trade activity, but said in a statement tariffs “also carry downside risk if applied without a clear strategy – especially for Hoosier farmers and manufacturers who need certainty. I’ve consistently emphasized the need for greater clarity in our trade approach so that those directly affected aren’t left in the dark.”

On Sunday, Trump made clear to reporters aboard Air Force One that he has no plans of changing course on his tariff strategy, saying, “Sometimes you have to take medicine to fix something.”

“I spoke to a lot of leaders, European, Asian, from all over the world,” Trump said. “They’re dying to make a deal. And I said, we’re not going to have deficits with your country. We’re not going to do that, because to me a deficit is a loss. We’re going to have surpluses or at worst, going to be breaking even.”

Trump claimed the new tariffs are already creating significant revenue for the U.S., and the trade pressure has brought European countries to the negotiating table for new trade agreements.

When asked, Congressman Rudy Yakym, R-Indiana, wouldn’t directly comment on the market’s reaction to tariffs, but told News 8 in an email he’s in close contact with Indiana businesses and White House officials.

“I look forward to passing pro-growth policies that increase manufacturing and jobs to ensure our shared goal of a level playing field,” Yakym said.

In an interview for All Indiana Politics, U.S. Rep. André Carson, D-Indiana, criticized the impact tariffs will have on consumers, saying, “Even Trump supporters disapprove of tariffs because we know they’re only going to drive up costs.”

Business groups, including the National Retail Federation, assert the cost of tariffs will be passed along to U.S. shoppers, not foreign countries or companies.

Young wants to see a legislative strategy compliment the new tariffs.

“I’ve pushed for my Leveling the Playing Field 2.0 Act, which offers a targeted and enforceable approach to addressing unfair trade with greater predictability,” Young told News 8. “My hope is that these efforts – both the strategic pressure of tariffs and the enforcement tools in my legislation – can lead to negotiated outcomes that strengthen America’s position on trade and the economic prosperity of our country.”

This story was originally published by WISH-TV at wishtv.com/news/politics/sen-todd-young-wants-clarity-on-trump-tariff-strategy.