'It's Not Fair To Ask Our Small Business Owners To Eat That Cost': Josh Shapiro Slams Trump Tariffs

4/9/2025

During a Tuesday press conference in Lancaster, PA, Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA) called out the Trump administration for using tariffs to start a trade war.

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Transcript

00:00Here's the last thing I want to say before turning it over to Marshall.

00:03We're going to keep investing in our Main Streets.

00:06We're going to keep cutting taxes for small businesses like this one,

00:10which I've been proud to lead the way on to cut our business taxes here in Pennsylvania.

00:15But I know our small businesses are facing strong headwinds right now

00:19because of the decisions made by the federal government

00:22to impose these tariffs on our trading partners

00:26and just, bottom line, make things cost a whole lot more for our business owners.

00:34I talked before with Laura about some of her excellent goods

00:39that are being brought in from other countries,

00:41things that people here in Lancaster and visitors want to buy,

00:46and those prices are now looking to have to go up 20%.

00:49It's not fair to ask our small business owners to eat that cost,

00:53and unfortunately it's going to have to be passed on to consumers.

00:56And the only reason this is happening is because President Trump pushed a button,

01:02started a trade war, and spiked the prices of goods in our country

01:09based on his desire to fight with our allies across the world.

01:14It doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

01:16By the way, given what's going on in D.C. nowadays,

01:18I think the world would have been way better off if on September 27, 1777, I think it was,

01:27folks decided to stay here for more than one day and make this the nation's capital,

01:32we would have had a whole lot more common sense and sensibility in our federal government

01:36if it stayed right here in Lancaster.

01:40Listen, we've got to do everything we can to keep driving down the costs of goods and services

01:47for people who live in Pennsylvania.

01:50It's why we've cut taxes, it's why we're investing in our small businesses,

01:53it's why we're investing in our Main Streets.

01:55We want to make it easier for folks here in the community.

01:58I wish the federal government wasn't working against us

02:01and making it harder for small business owners with these tariffs.

02:05I hope our senators and I hope your local congressmen stand up to the president on this.

02:12Because I think it's a wrongheaded policy that's only going to hurt our small businesses

02:15and our farmers right here in Lancaster County.

02:19So listen, we're going to continue this important work.

02:22We're going to continue to invest in our Main Streets.

02:24Main Streets.

'It's Not Fair To Ask Our Small Business Owners To Eat That Cost': Josh Shapiro Slams Trump Tariffs

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