Florida Congressman Darren Soto (D) called out the Trump administration’s controversial tariffs, claiming that it is harming the farmers and the U.S. farming industry.
“Here’s an idea! How about just ending the tariffs instead???" Rep. Soto questioned. "Farmers would rather sell their crops than have a handout.”
Rep. Soto’s comments come after President Donald Trump claimed that conditions will get worse for farmers at first, but then a portion of the tariff money the U.S. makes will go to help farmers.
“We're going to take some of that tariff money that we made. We're going to give it to our farmers who are, for a little while, going to be hurt until it kicks in," Trump explained in an interview with FOX News. "The tariffs kick in to that benefit. So we're going to make sure that our farmers are in great shape because we're taking in a lot of money.”
President Trump has been vocal in the past about maintaining and protecting the U.S. farming industry against cheaper, foreign competitors.
In April, Trump declared that U.S. farmers are the “front line” of defense against the U.S./Chinese trade war, as China purchased 14% of all U.S. agriculture last year, or approximately $27 billion.
"Our farmers are GREAT, but because of their GREATNESS, they are always put on the Front Line with our adversaries, such as China, whenever there is a Trade negotiation or, in this case, a Trade War," Trump expressed. "The same thing happened in my First Term. China was brutal to our Farmers, I [asked] these Patriots to just hold on, and a great trade deal was made."
