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US trade chief defends tariffs as Democrats say Trump ‘in denial’ over price hikes

From The Guardian · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • US trade representative Jamieson Greer denied President Trump's tariffs have increased prices for American families.
  • Democrats, citing estimates from non-partisan offices, claim families pay an average of $1,700 more annually due to tariffs.
  • The exchange occurred as US inflation reached a three-year high, with lawmakers challenging Greer on cost-of-living concerns.

US trade representative Jamieson Greer faced sharp questioning from senators on Wednesday, denying that President Donald Trump's tariffs have raised prices for American families. The exchange took place against a backdrop of rising inflation, which hit a three-year high earlier this year.

No.

— Jamieson GreerUS trade representative Jamieson Greer's response when asked by Senator Elizabeth Warren if tariffs had increased prices for American families.

During a heated session before the Senate finance committee, Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren asked Greer directly if tariffs had increased costs for US families. Greer responded with a simple "No." He cited a decrease in core inflation to 2.6% year-on-year, stating it was "much better than in January 2025." Core inflation excludes food and energy prices.

Core inflation fell to 2.6% year on year, much better than in January 2025.

— Jamieson GreerUS trade representative Jamieson Greer's statement on inflation during his testimony before US senators.

However, Warren presented an estimate from Democrats, based on data from the Congressional Budget Office and the Treasury Department, suggesting families are paying an average of $1,700 more in tariff costs since Trump returned to office. This comes at a sensitive time for Trump's trade policy, which faced a significant setback in February when the Supreme Court deemed many existing tariffs illegal.

an estimate produced by Democrats and based on the non-partisan congressional budget office and the treasury department’s own numbers, showed families were paying an average of $1,700 more in tariff costs since Trump’s return to office.

— Elizabeth WarrenSenator Elizabeth Warren's claim about the financial impact of tariffs on American families.

Senator Raphael Warnock echoed concerns, telling Greer that Trump "made life more expensive for everybody." Warnock challenged Greer's rebuttal, asking if he had produced any "rigorous peer-evaluated study" to refute the link between tariffs and inflation, or if his arguments were based on "vibes, people's feelings, politics." Greer dismissed the notion of "vibes," but his attempts to discuss specific prices like eggs and smartphones were cut short by Warnock, who insisted on a direct answer regarding the tariffs' contribution to inflation.

made life more expensive for everybody

— Raphael WarnockSenator Raphael Warnock's statement on the impact of Trump's policies on the cost of living.
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Originally published by The Guardian. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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