WASHINGTON–Representative Mario Diaz-Balart spoke to The Floridian about President Donald Trump's (R) tariff policies. The Florida congressman raved about the tariffs that the President has instituted, including both those on Canada and China, an ally and an adversary, respectively.
Rep. Diaz-Balart began by accepting that the stock market did take an early hit, but it was expected.
"Of course, it's a hit on the market because if you have a company that's relying heavily on China, producing in China, then all of a sudden you have the United States saying, 'hey, you know, you need to start producing in the United States.' Of course, there's going to be a hit in the market," said Rep. Diaz-Balart. "That'll all stabilize."
"What this administration, the president, is doing is pretty simple. There's a lot of focus on China, obviously, rightfully so. But let's just look at the Canadian example, right? Our neighbor, strong ally, neighbor to the north, they have huge tariffs on American dairy, for example. And what we're supposed to accept that? So, obviously, a lot of products come from Canada, tariff-free," explained Diaz-Balart. "And so the concept that — and this is happening throughout the world, this kind of like a post World War II issue — that we have huge tariffs on American products for exports from the United States, so other countries allies; and then their products come basically tariff-free. And that affects American workers, American industry, American jobs; not acceptable. And so what the President is talking about is reciprocal tariffs."
The Florida congressman continued, mentioning the negative press that President Trump and his administration have received due to enforcing the tariffs appears unfounded and hypocritical.
"If there's outrage about a tariff that the United States is doing in another country, well, why is there no outrage because those countries have the tariffs on the United States? That is just not sustainable. It's affecting our economy ... And I commend the president for finally standing up for the American working class, for American jobs, and for the American economy. And so what you're already seeing, as you've seen, is now it's over 50 — it's like, I don't know, 70 countries that are already kind of begging to negotiate. You saw the European Union, right? At first was like, 'Oh, we're gonna impose tariffs.' Now they'll say, 'Okay, well, let's talk about eliminating our tariffs.'
"That's what leadership looks like," concluded Rep. Diaz-Balart.
