‘Making America expensive again’: Democrats find a tax they don’t like in Trump tariffs

Democrats are warning that Americans will face higher costs and end up paying the price for new tariffs President Donald Trump is imposing against Mexico, Canada and China. 

The White House announced Friday that in response to an 'invasion of illegal fentanyl' to the U.S., it would impose a 25% tariff on all goods entering the United States from Mexico and Canada, a 10% tariff on Canadian energy and a 10% tariff on all goods entering the U.S. from China. 

Tariffs against China went into effect Tuesday, although Trump agreed to push back tariffs against Mexico and Canada by at least one month after discussions with each respective country about securing the border.

While Trump acknowledged Friday the tariffs might result in 'temporary, short-term disruption,' Democrats claim American taxpayers will end up hurting and paying the price. 

According to one Washington think tank, the nonpartisan Peterson Institute for International Economics, these rounds of tariffs are expected to cost U.S. households roughly $1,200 a year annually. 

As a result, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., took a jab at Trump and mocked the president’s coined expression about a 'golden age' of economic prosperity. 

'President Trump kickstarted a golden age of higher costs for American families with his 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico,' Schumer said Monday on the Senate floor. 'Two of our four biggest trading partners by issuing his tariffs. Donald Trump is yet again rigging the game for his billionaire friends, while doing nothing to lower costs for American families.'

'The Trump tariffs will make gas prices go up, and we should not listen at all to Donald Trump when he says it's about stopping fentanyl,' Schumer said. 'That's nonsense. There are other ways to stop fentanyl without making inflation worse and raising costs on the American family.'

Additionally, Sens. Chris Coons, D-Del., and Tim Kaine, D-Va., introduced legislation Thursday that would increase legislative branch oversight before imposing new tariffs. Specifically, the legislation would require the president to brief Congress on tariff proposals and impacts on the U.S. economy and foreign policy interests.

The measure, known as the Stopping Tariffs on Allies and Bolstering Legislative Exercise of (STABLE) Trade Policy Act, also would require approval from Congress before executing any new tariffs on U.S. allies or other free trade agreement partners. 

Coons warned that the American people would pay the price for the tariffs, which he labeled the 'largest tax increase' on Americans in a long time. Coons also cautioned that imposing tariffs on Mexico and Canada would turn them into 'nervous neighbors' and could jeopardize relationships with allies. 

'China, Mexico, and Canada are our three largest trading partners,' Coons said in a statement Friday. 'It’s the largest tax increase on working Americans in a long time, and it will cost them thousands of dollars every year. President Trump is making America expensive again.' 

Experts have warned that the costs of foods like avocados, dairy and certain meats could go up as a result of the tariffs. For example, Kelly Beaton, the chief content officer at The Food Institute, noted that the U.S. receives a large portion of hog and beef imports from Canada. These tariffs 'will undoubtedly' lead to higher import costs, and, ultimately, higher beef and pork prices for American consumers, she said, Fox Business reports. 

Likewise, Democratic Reps. Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., and Don Beyer, D-Va., also introduced legislation in January that would block Trump from using emergency powers to implement tariffs, amid concerns that American consumers would end up footing the bill.

'Not only would widespread tariffs drive up costs at home and likely send our economy into recession, but they would likely lead to significant retaliation, hurting American workers, farmers, and businesses,' DelBene said in a statement on Jan. 15. 

In response to Americans absorbing costs from the tariffs, Trump said in a post Sunday on Truth Social: 'WILL THERE BE SOME PAIN? YES, MAYBE (AND MAYBE NOT!). BUT WE WILL MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, AND IT WILL ALL BE WORTH THE PRICE THAT MUST BE PAID.'

While Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., told NBC News' '60 Minutes' he predicted tariffs would drive up consumer costs, other Republicans like Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. told Fox News Sunday that the tariffs are designed to 'get these countries to change their behavior.'

The tariffs were being imposed due to an 'unprecedented invasion of illegal fentanyl that is killing American citizens,' White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Friday.  

Trump and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum spoke on Monday, resulting in the postponement of the tariffs against Mexico for one month. Additionally, Sheinbaum promised to dispatch 10,000 troops to the U.S.–Mexico border. 

Likewise, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau unveiled plans for a $1.3 billion border plan, requiring reinforcements at the border with 'new choppers, technology and personnel, enhanced coordination with our American partners, and increased resources to stop the flow of fentanyl.'

'Nearly 10,000 frontline personnel are and will be working on protecting the border,' Trudeau said in a social media post on X on Monday. 

While Trudeau initially unveiled plans for Canada's own 25% tariffs on up to $155 billion in U.S. imports on items such as fruit and alcohol. But Trudeau said Sunday the tariffs were on pause for at least 30 more days amid negotiations with the U.S. 

Trudeau also said that 'we will list cartels as terrorists, ensure 24/7 eyes on the border, launch a Canada- U.S. Joint Strike Force to combat organized crime, fentanyl and money laundering.' 

Fox News’ Brooke Singman and Daniella Genovese contributed to this report.