Top GOP Leader Attacks Trump
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) is openly pushing back against President Trump’s latest tariff threats against Canada, calling the move a “mistake” and warning that it could hit Maine businesses and families with higher prices.
Collins, who is facing a competitive reelection campaign this November, said she believes the United States and Canada have a mutually beneficial economic relationship that should not be disrupted by escalating trade restrictions.
“I still think imposing new tariffs on Canada is a mistake,” Collins said in a recent interview with News Center Maine.
The senator said she recently met with Canada’s ambassador to the United States and pressed him to address barriers affecting American dairy products. At the same time, she urged both countries to return to what she described as a strong and economically valuable trading relationship.
Maine is particularly connected to the Canadian economy. Collins pointed to blueberries, potatoes, lobster and lumber produced in the state that are processed or handled across the border. She warned that tariffs could eventually make those products more expensive for consumers.
Collins said a tariff approaching 50 percent could raise the cost of groceries, construction and other goods while putting additional pressure on Maine businesses.
The Republican senator also indicated that she believed negotiators had been making progress toward a possible agreement, although she acknowledged that the situation has changed repeatedly.
Her comments came as Trump escalated his tariff threats. The president has threatened a 50 percent tariff on Canadian cars, trucks, auto parts and steel beginning Jan. 1, 2027.
That followed a separate 50 percent tariff imposed on roughly $20 billion worth of Canadian imports, including lumber, furniture, whiskey, hockey equipment, ice skates and other goods.
Collins warned that the uncertainty surrounding the negotiations is already creating problems for businesses in her state.
“The on-again/off-again trade talks” are creating higher costs and uncertainty, Collins argued, saying businesses could ultimately pass the additional expense on to customers through higher prices.
Maine imports roughly $2 billion in nonpetroleum products from Canada each year, making the dispute especially important to the state’s economy.
Collins has continued calling on American and Canadian officials to return to negotiations and remain at the table until they can reach an agreement.
The criticism is notable because Collins is a Republican facing a difficult reelection fight while challenging a major piece of Trump’s economic agenda. With prices already a major concern for voters, could Trump’s Canada tariff fight become a serious problem for Republicans like Collins heading into November?
