Fetterman Stuns With Trump Trade Praise, Defies Party Line
Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania made waves Friday with a candid admission about former President Donald Trump’s trade policies—remarks likely to spark friction within his own party.
During a brief interview with a Fox News reporter on Capitol Hill, Fetterman was asked whether he believed Trump was “winning the trade war.”
“Absolutely,” Fetterman replied without hesitation, pointing to the former president’s recent trade agreement with the European Union.
He went on to reference HBO host Bill Maher—whom he called “one of the oracles” of the Democratic Party—for acknowledging the unexpected resilience of the U.S. economy under Trump’s tariff regime.
“Maher thought the tariffs would tank the economy,” Fetterman noted. “But even he admitted they didn’t.”
Fetterman also expressed support for the new EU trade agreement and said he was hopeful about ongoing negotiations with China.
His comments came the same day Trump unveiled a sweeping new round of tariffs affecting dozens of countries, signaling a hardline continuation of his protectionist trade agenda. According to The Hill, the new measures include a baseline 10% tariff on all imports, with steep additional hikes for select countries: Syria (41%), Laos (40%), Switzerland (39%), Iraq (35%), South Africa (30%), and India (25%).
The tariffs are set to take effect August 7, allowing U.S. officials more time to finalize implementation and providing the administration additional leverage in ongoing trade talks.
In a separate interview with NBC News on Thursday, Trump warned it was “too late” for countries to avoid the upcoming tariffs but left the door open for future negotiations.
“It doesn’t mean that somebody doesn’t come along in four weeks and say we can make some kind of a deal,” he said.
Notably, Trump followed through on a threat to raise tariffs on Canadian imports to 35%, citing the cross-border drug trade and responding to Canada’s recent move to recognize Palestinian statehood. Goods already covered under the 2020 U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) are exempt.
Trump also signed an executive order slapping a 50% tariff on Brazilian imports, citing the country’s failure to address trade imbalances or align more closely with U.S. economic and national security priorities.
Despite the aggressive moves, the White House touted recent trade wins with key partners such as the European Union, South Korea, Japan, the United Kingdom, Indonesia, and the Philippines. However, critical deals with Mexico and China remain under negotiation.
On Thursday, Trump announced a 90-day extension for talks with Mexico, the U.S.’s largest trading partner. A 25% tariff on Mexican goods outside the USMCA framework remains in place, though a planned hike to 30% has been paused.
Trade negotiations with China are also ongoing, with an August 12 deadline still in effect.
“The complexities of a deal with Mexico are somewhat different than other nations because of both the problems, and assets, of the border,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “We will be talking to Mexico over the next 90 days with the goal of signing a trade deal within that time—or longer.”