Chuck Schumer took to the Senate floor on July 28 to blast the new U.S.–EU trade deal, calling it “fake” and ranting about a so-called $90 billion tax on American families. He declared, without hesitation, that Trump’s tariffs would send prices soaring, hammer consumers, and deliver no benefits. It was classic Schumer—loud, certain, and completely wrong about how trade policy actually works.
The Lazy Tariffs-Are-A-Tax Talking Point
The “tariffs are just a tax” talking point is the shallowest argument in Washington. Yes, when U.S. companies import goods, they pay a tariff. And yes, some of that cost can make its way to the consumer. But pretending that’s the end of the story is dishonest. What Schumer and his friends never mention is the other side of that equation: what happens when exporters realize they could lose the largest, richest market in the world.
Exporters Blink First
The second tariffs go up, foreign exporters face a choice. Either lower their prices to stay competitive, or lose access to American buyers. The EU and Japan both know exactly what happens when they try to play chicken with the U.S. market. They drop prices. They eat part of the cost. Importers here sometimes eat part of the cost. And in the end, only a fraction of it reaches the consumer—far less than what Democrats threaten in their doomsday speeches.
Tariffs Create Leverage
This is the piece that drives Washington insiders crazy. Tariffs force other countries to come to the table. They force Europe to buy $750 billion worth of American energy in three years, which is exactly what this deal does. They force foreign companies to move manufacturing here to avoid the penalties. And they send a very clear message: if you want access to America, you play fair. Schumer calls that “fake” because he hates what happens when it works.
The Inflation Myth That Died Quietly
Remember the endless warnings? Tariffs will “explode inflation.” They’ll “crash the economy.” Months later, that just hasn’t happened. Inflation didn’t spike because of tariffs. In fact, the EU blinked so fast that they settled days before Trump’s August 1 deadline. Even some Democrats, quietly and reluctantly, are admitting the obvious: Trump’s strategy has been working all along, and they were terrified it would.
Why Democrats Will Never Admit It
The reason Schumer was red-faced on the Senate floor is simple. Tariffs expose decades of failure by both Democrats and too many Republicans. For years they promised that free trade and globalism would lift everyone up. Instead, it hollowed out U.S. factories, shipped jobs overseas, and left us dependent on everyone but ourselves. Trump reversed that trend by using the strength of the U.S. market as a weapon—and it worked. Schumer can scream “fake” all he wants, but the results tell a different story.
The Bottom Line
The U.S.–EU trade deal is proof that this strategy pays off. It’s not perfect. No deal ever is. But for the first time in decades, America is using its economic power to win on trade, bring back manufacturing, and make other nations pay for the privilege of selling to us. That’s why Chuck Schumer and the rest of the political class hate it. It exposes the fact that Trump’s tariffs—far from a tax—are a tool that’s rebuilding American strength right in front of their eyes.
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Jimmy
h/t: Steadfast and Loyal
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