Gov. Larry Hogan Tells Washington To 'Step Up' In Response To Trump's Mexico Tariff Plan
ANNAPOLIS (WJZ) — Gov. Larry Hogan is telling Washington to "step up and show leadership" in response to the Trump administration's plan to impose new tariffs on Mexico.
The governor said he wrote to President Trump and leaders of Congress that he was "ready to work with them to ratify the new US-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement when he thought they were making progress on the agreement.
"It seemed that Washington was finally making progress on this agreement. But now, out of nowhere, the administration is threatening to hit Mexico—one of our closest trading partners—with tariffs. Tariffs are really just taxes on jobs and consumers, in Maryland and nationwide," He said in the statement.
CBS News reported that last month, U.S. border agents made more than 132,000 apprehensions, the highest monthly level since 2006, amounting to about 4,000 people a day.
The president has said he plans to respond with tariffs on all Mexican goods, despite opposition from his own party and others.
"We've told Mexico, 'the tariffs go on.' And I mean it, too. And I'm very happy with it," Mr. Trump said. "And a lot of people, senators included, they have no idea what they're talking about when it comes to tariffs."
Gov. Hogan is not the only Republican who has pushed back against these tariff plans. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell also expressed skepticism earlier this week.
"We are not fans of tariffs," McConnell said. "We are still hoping that this could be avoided."
Mexico is the largest trading partner for the U.S., and tariffs would most likely raise prices on a large number of items ranging from the auto industry, beer or avocados.
