Gov. JB Pritzker says "working families will pay the price" for President Trump's tariffs on Canada, Mexico, China
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Gov. JB Pritzker on Saturday said "working families will pay the price" of new tariffs President Trump has ordered on imports from the country's three biggest trading partners – Canada, Mexico, and China.
"Let's call these tariffs what they are: Trump's Taxes on Working Families. If these tariffs remain in place, it will jack up the price of groceries and goods, make gas more expensive, and raise utility bills," Pritzker said in a statement.
The President on Saturday signed an executive order imposing 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico, while adding an additional 10% levy on goods from China.
The tariffs take effect at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday. The order imposes 25% tariffs on goods from Canada except for "energy resources" such as oil and gas, which are only hit with a 10% tariff.
Trump has leaned on tariffs to impose international political pressure in the past, and the White House said these new tariffs are aimed curbing the flow of undocumented immigrants and illicit drugs in to the U.S.; spurring a resurgence in domestic manufacturing; and raising federal revenue.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that Canada would respond with 25% tariffs "against $155 billion worth of American goods," and Mexico said it was also planning to issue retaliatory tariffs on the U.S.
Mr. Trump's executive order warned that such retaliatory tariffs would mean he "may increase or expand in scope the duties imposed under this order to ensure the efficacy of this action."
Pritzker said the president's tariffs would hit Illinois particularly hard, noting Illinois imports more goods from Canada than any other state.
The governor said if President Trump's tariffs stay in place, "they would force businesses and supply chains to pass costs onto Illinois consumers."
"If prices go up and jobs are killed, we must all give credit where credit is due: Donald Trump," Pritzker said.
U.S. Sen Dick Durbin (D-IL) said the tariffs "are only going to raise the price of daily necessities for American families, especially food."
"The President has ignored this reality, and Americans are going to be the ones to feel the real cost of these tariffs," Durbin said in a statement on X.
Some of the biggest categories impacted by the tariffs include gas and lumber from Canada, and groceries and appliances from Mexico.
Canada sends 75% of all its goods and services exports to the U.S., and almost a quarter of the oil the U.S. consumes comes from Canada.
Mexico's secretary of economy warned U.S. consumers will face higher prices on things like vehicles, car parts, and produce like avocados.
But Loyola University Chicago economics professor Tassos Malliaris said he expects U.S. consumers wouldn't see prices shift up for a couple of months, saying this is still very much a developing situation.
"It becomes like a chess game, and there is a second round, and a third round. So we're in the very first round. We do not know. All we know is that there will be a great deal of uncertainty," he said.
The non-partisan Tax Foundation has warned that tariffs typically lead to increased costs for consumers and retaliation from countries on which tariffs are imposed.
