When Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) was in the midst of his record 25-plus hours of speaking on the Senate floor on April 1, he yielded to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, who wanted to ask him a couple of questions.
One was on the tariffs that President Donald Trump was set to announce the next day.
"And all of America is paying attention to what you are saying," Schumer claimed to Booker -- according to the Congressional Record.
"All of America needs to know there are so many problems because of the disastrous actions of this administration in terms of how they are helping only the billionaires and hurting average families," said Schumer.
"So, my question to my colleague on these tariffs," Schumer eventually said. "A, does he agree that it could raise the price on an average family thousands of dollars -- it is estimated $6,000. ... And does he agree that it seems the motivation is tax breaks for the wealthiest people?"
"What he is going to do tomorrow is raise prices for Americans," Booker said in part of his answer. "What he is going to do tomorrow is lie to folks and say this is something that China will pay or whoever will pay when actually it is American consumers who will pay with higher prices and more economic insecurity."
On April 2, the White House issued a fact sheet that summarized the trade problem with the People's Republic of China. "China's non-market policies and practices have given China global dominance in key manufacturing industries, decimating U.S. industry," it said. "Between 2001 and 2018, these practices contributed to the loss of 3.7 million U.S. jobs due to the growth of the U.S.-China trade deficit, displacing workers and undermining American competitiveness while threatening U.S. economic and national security by increasing our reliance on foreign-controlled supply chains for critical industries as well as everyday goods."
Recommended
After Trump moved forward with a policy that would impose 54 percent tariffs on Chinese imports, China retaliated by announcing it would impose a 34 percent tariff on U.S. imports.
Trump immediately responded. "(I)f China does not withdraw its 34% increase above their already long term trading abuses by tomorrow, April 8th, 2025, the United States will impose ADDITIONAL Tariffs on China of 50%, effective April 9th," said Trump in a Truth Social posting.
In her press briefing on April 8, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Trump was going to impose a total tariff of 104% on Chinese imports.
"It was a mistake for China to retaliate," she said. "The president, when America is punched, he punches back harder. That is why there will be 104% tariffs going into effect on China tonight at midnight."
"And the president also wanted me to tell all of you that if China reaches out to make a deal, he'll be incredibly gracious, but he's going to do what is best for the American people," she said.
"But the president will be implementing these 104% tariffs on China tonight," she reiterated.
Trade is not the only place where China presents a problem for the United States.
It is also a national security threat, according to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
"China presents the most comprehensive and robust military threat to U.S. national security," said the Annual Threat Assessment the ODNI published on March 25.
"A major portion of China's military modernization efforts is focused on developing counter-intervention capabilities tailored against all aspects of U.S. and allied military operations in the Pacific," said the assessment.
"The PLA has the capability to conduct long-range precision-strikes with conventional weapons against the Homeland's periphery in the Western Pacific, including Guam, Hawaii, and Alaska," it said.
"China may be exploring development of conventionally-armed intercontinental range missile systems, which, if developed and fielded, would allow China to threaten conventional strikes against targets in the continental United States," it said.
Then there is the cyber front.
"The PRC remains the most active and persistent cyber threat to U.S. government, private-sector, and critical infrastructure networks," said the threat assessment.
"If Beijing believed that a major conflict with Washington was imminent," it said, "it could consider aggressive cyber operations against U.S. critical infrastructure and military assets. Such strikes would be designed to deter U.S. military action by impeding U.S. decision-making, inducing societal panic, and interfering with the deployment of U.S. forces."
And, finally, there is the economic battle.
"The PRC seeks to compete with the United States as the leading economic power in the world," said the threat assessment. "To do so, the strategy calls for a centralized, state-directed, and nationally resourced approach to dominating global markets and strategic supply chains, limiting foreign competitors, and making other nations dependent on China."
"China remains intent on modernizing, diversifying, and expanding its nuclear posture," said the threat assessment. "China's nuclear weapons and advanced delivery systems pose a direct threat to the Homeland and are capable of delivering catastrophic damage to the United States and threatening U.S. military forces here and abroad."
In just the first two months of this year, the United States ran a $52.9 billion trade deficit with China. That was the largest trade deficit the United States ran with any nation.
Schumer and Booker are not helping American families by opposing Trump's efforts to counter China.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member