Sen. Dave McCormick Says It’s Too Early to Tell Effectiveness of Tariffs During Telephone Town Hall
First-term lawmaker said a “showdown” was looming between federal government and sanctuary cities
April 11, 2025
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First-term lawmaker said a “showdown” was looming between federal government and sanctuary cities
Slaps 34% Tariff on U.S. Goods. Here is the PoliticsPA Playbook
by John Cole, Pennsylvania Capital-Star
April 10, 2025
During his second telephone town hall since being sworn-in, Pennsylvania U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick (R) said it was too early to determine how effective President Donald Trump’s tariff policies are, but urged patience as he backs the ever-changing approach.
“I think the honest answer is, it’s just too early to tell,” McCormick said.
A constituent asked McCormick if there was data that supports tariffs being effective to boost the American manufacturing sector versus increasing costs for consumers.
The senator said he thinks tariffs “could really make sense” against China and other countries, who he believes have been “very unfair” to the United States, citing their trade policies.
On April 2, Trump announced tariffs on products from all foreign countries, although on Wednesday he announced a 90 day pause for countries willing to negotiate new trade deals. However, Trump’s announcement does not include China, saying he will increase to a 125% tariff on imports to the United States.
Trump said more than 75 countries reached out to him to negotiate and as a result he dropped their tariff rates to a universal 10%.
Several rounds of tariffs the president enacted in March will remain in place, including 25% import taxes on foreign steel, aluminum and cars — charges which sparked the European Union to approve retaliatory tariffs Wednesday.
Canada and Mexico, which both face up to 25% tariffs on a sizable chunk of products, will continue to see the levies but will not face an additional 10% stacked on top.
Trump’s 25% tax on imports from any country that buys oil from Venezuela also remains unchanged.
McCormick said he believes the best way to make tariffs work is to “be very specific about the bad behavior” from those countries and trading partners and negotiate deals that are “fair for the American worker.”
“That’s what I think is happening now,” McCormick said. “I think there’s a series of negotiations underway with the countries around the world that are having that conversation about, here’s what’s unfair. That’s why there’s a tariff on you, or there’s going to be a tariff on you, and here’s what you need to do. So that’s the goal of it.”
McCormick describes himself as a supporter of “reciprocal” tariffs.
McCormick, and other supporters of Trump’s plan, have argued that if it is successful, it will help increase manufacturing in the United States and make it easier to sell products abroad. However some economists are skeptical and worry about rising costs for consumers.
The state’s junior U.S. senator also acknowledged that it is “a little too early to tell” the impact it will have on consumers, if Trump’s tariff plan is successful.
“It depends a lot on the currency, but there could be an increase in prices,” McCormick said. “So for me, I’m trying to give the president some time to execute his strategy.”
McCormick said he will be monitoring the situation carefully by following consumer prices and attempting to “be a force” on influencing trade negotiations with the White House.
“But as I said, we’re four or five days into this,” McCormick said Wednesday evening. “I think it’s just too early to know what the implications are.”
“I think we should give the President a little bit of time to get his strategy in place, because it’s already evolved a good bit just since it was announced,” he added.
Others on the call expressed concern with the latest turmoil in the stock market since Trump’s tariff announcement.
McCormick said it’s hard to watch the volatility right now with the stock market, but believes that it “is going to be just fine” if Trump’s “pro-growth policies” are put in place regarding tariffs, energy, investing in manufacturing, and extending tax cuts.
“I think the best way to deal with it is, monitor carefully, but don’t plan on making any changes based on what happened yesterday or what happens today,” McCormick said in response to a question from a 42 year-old constituent concerned about their 401K.
“Over the long term, if our economy is strong, if we put those pro-growth policies in place, the economy is going to take off,” he added. “And if the economy takes off, then the stock market is going to be just fine.”
McCormick said he’s “really sympathetic” to those who are past retirement watching the volatility in the stock market, and vowed that he would protect their benefits by not touching Social Security.
A “showdown” for sanctuary cities may be looming
McCormick predicted there will be a standoff between the federal government and Pennsylvania’s sanctuary cities and counties.
“Both from a law enforcement perspective, but also from federal funding,” McCormick said.
Since Trump was elected, some elected officials in Pennsylvania, including Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey, have said their offices would not work with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), as the federal government proceeds with the president’s campaign promise of mass deportations of undocumented immigrants.
Saying the number one issue in the previous presidential election was issues relating to border policies, he pointed to Trump’s victory as a reason he believes people want to see the Department of Homeland Security crack down on sanctuary cities.
“I’m all for enforcing the law humanely. I’m all for repatriating people back to their countries, recognizing that’s a very difficult thing to do,” McCormick said. “But in the end, we have to enforce the law, and I think that’s what’s going to happen with these towns and cities that are not enforcing the law.”
“I think there’s going to be a showdown, which ultimately they’re going to lose,” he added.
There are 13 sanctuary cities and counties in Pennsylvania, according to the Center for Immigration Studies.
On Thursday, Trump announced on social media that his administration was “working on papers to withhold all Federal Funding for any City or State that allows” sanctuary cities.
Tips cap to Casey on bill to boost homecare workers for aging population
In response to a constituent’s call from Morgantown, Berks County, McCormick said he will consider supporting the Credit for Caring Act.
Sponsors of the bipartisan legislation say the proposal would create a new tax credit of up to $5,000 for working family caregivers.
A member of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, he said the issue has been brought up to him by constituents before as well as groups that have lobbied on behalf of Alzheimer’s patients back the proposal.
“We have a huge aging population in Pennsylvania,” McCormick said. “This is an area where Senator (Robert) Casey was the chairman of the committee, and honestly, I think he was very focused on these issues in a good way.”
Pennsylvania is the fifth oldest state in the nation. One in four residents are senior citizens, according to Pennsylvania’s Department of Aging, with the population projecting to grow to one in three Pennsylvanians by 2030.
“I’m the number two member of the Committee on the Republican side, and I’m going to be very active on this, because it’s something that’s so important to our voters,” McCormick added. “So I can promise you, I’m going to give it a very careful review, and I am aware of this.”
Pennsylvania Capital-Star is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Pennsylvania Capital-Star maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Tim Lambert for questions: [email protected].
by John Cole, Pennsylvania Capital-Star
April 10, 2025
During his second telephone town hall since being sworn-in, Pennsylvania U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick (R) said it was too early to determine how effective President Donald Trump’s tariff policies are, but urged patience as he backs the ever-changing approach.
“I think the honest answer is, it’s just too early to tell,” McCormick said.
A constituent asked McCormick if there was data that supports tariffs being effective to boost the American manufacturing sector versus increasing costs for consumers.
The senator said he thinks tariffs “could really make sense” against China and other countries, who he believes have been “very unfair” to the United States, citing their trade policies.
On April 2, Trump announced tariffs on products from all foreign countries, although on Wednesday he announced a 90 day pause for countries willing to negotiate new trade deals. However, Trump’s announcement does not include China, saying he will increase to a 125% tariff on imports to the United States.
Trump said more than 75 countries reached out to him to negotiate and as a result he dropped their tariff rates to a universal 10%.
Several rounds of tariffs the president enacted in March will remain in place, including 25% import taxes on foreign steel, aluminum and cars — charges which sparked the European Union to approve retaliatory tariffs Wednesday.
Canada and Mexico, which both face up to 25% tariffs on a sizable chunk of products, will continue to see the levies but will not face an additional 10% stacked on top.
Trump’s 25% tax on imports from any country that buys oil from Venezuela also remains unchanged.
McCormick said he believes the best way to make tariffs work is to “be very specific about the bad behavior” from those countries and trading partners and negotiate deals that are “fair for the American worker.”
“That’s what I think is happening now,” McCormick said. “I think there’s a series of negotiations underway with the countries around the world that are having that conversation about, here’s what’s unfair. That’s why there’s a tariff on you, or there’s going to be a tariff on you, and here’s what you need to do. So that’s the goal of it.”
McCormick describes himself as a supporter of “reciprocal” tariffs.
McCormick, and other supporters of Trump’s plan, have argued that if it is successful, it will help increase manufacturing in the United States and make it easier to sell products abroad. However some economists are skeptical and worry about rising costs for consumers.
The state’s junior U.S. senator also acknowledged that it is “a little too early to tell” the impact it will have on consumers, if Trump’s tariff plan is successful.
“It depends a lot on the currency, but there could be an increase in prices,” McCormick said. “So for me, I’m trying to give the president some time to execute his strategy.”
McCormick said he will be monitoring the situation carefully by following consumer prices and attempting to “be a force” on influencing trade negotiations with the White House.
“But as I said, we’re four or five days into this,” McCormick said Wednesday evening. “I think it’s just too early to know what the implications are.”
“I think we should give the President a little bit of time to get his strategy in place, because it’s already evolved a good bit just since it was announced,” he added.
Others on the call expressed concern with the latest turmoil in the stock market since Trump’s tariff announcement.
McCormick said it’s hard to watch the volatility right now with the stock market, but believes that it “is going to be just fine” if Trump’s “pro-growth policies” are put in place regarding tariffs, energy, investing in manufacturing, and extending tax cuts.
“I think the best way to deal with it is, monitor carefully, but don’t plan on making any changes based on what happened yesterday or what happens today,” McCormick said in response to a question from a 42 year-old constituent concerned about their 401K.
“Over the long term, if our economy is strong, if we put those pro-growth policies in place, the economy is going to take off,” he added. “And if the economy takes off, then the stock market is going to be just fine.”
McCormick said he’s “really sympathetic” to those who are past retirement watching the volatility in the stock market, and vowed that he would protect their benefits by not touching Social Security.
A “showdown” for sanctuary cities may be looming
McCormick predicted there will be a standoff between the federal government and Pennsylvania’s sanctuary cities and counties.
“Both from a law enforcement perspective, but also from federal funding,” McCormick said.
Since Trump was elected, some elected officials in Pennsylvania, including Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey, have said their offices would not work with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), as the federal government proceeds with the president’s campaign promise of mass deportations of undocumented immigrants.
Saying the number one issue in the previous presidential election was issues relating to border policies, he pointed to Trump’s victory as a reason he believes people want to see the Department of Homeland Security crack down on sanctuary cities.
“I’m all for enforcing the law humanely. I’m all for repatriating people back to their countries, recognizing that’s a very difficult thing to do,” McCormick said. “But in the end, we have to enforce the law, and I think that’s what’s going to happen with these towns and cities that are not enforcing the law.”
“I think there’s going to be a showdown, which ultimately they’re going to lose,” he added.
There are 13 sanctuary cities and counties in Pennsylvania, according to the Center for Immigration Studies.
On Thursday, Trump announced on social media that his administration was “working on papers to withhold all Federal Funding for any City or State that allows” sanctuary cities.
Tips cap to Casey on bill to boost homecare workers for aging population
In response to a constituent’s call from Morgantown, Berks County, McCormick said he will consider supporting the Credit for Caring Act.
Sponsors of the bipartisan legislation say the proposal would create a new tax credit of up to $5,000 for working family caregivers.
A member of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, he said the issue has been brought up to him by constituents before as well as groups that have lobbied on behalf of Alzheimer’s patients back the proposal.
“We have a huge aging population in Pennsylvania,” McCormick said. “This is an area where Senator (Robert) Casey was the chairman of the committee, and honestly, I think he was very focused on these issues in a good way.”
Pennsylvania is the fifth oldest state in the nation. One in four residents are senior citizens, according to Pennsylvania’s Department of Aging, with the population projecting to grow to one in three Pennsylvanians by 2030.
“I’m the number two member of the Committee on the Republican side, and I’m going to be very active on this, because it’s something that’s so important to our voters,” McCormick added. “So I can promise you, I’m going to give it a very careful review, and I am aware of this.”
Pennsylvania Capital-Star is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Pennsylvania Capital-Star maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Tim Lambert for questions: [email protected].
by John Cole, Pennsylvania Capital-Star
April 10, 2025
During his second telephone town hall since being sworn-in, Pennsylvania U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick (R) said it was too early to determine how effective President Donald Trump’s tariff policies are, but urged patience as he backs the ever-changing approach.
“I think the honest answer is, it’s just too early to tell,” McCormick said.
A constituent asked McCormick if there was data that supports tariffs being effective to boost the American manufacturing sector versus increasing costs for consumers.
The senator said he thinks tariffs “could really make sense” against China and other countries, who he believes have been “very unfair” to the United States, citing their trade policies.
On April 2, Trump announced tariffs on products from all foreign countries, although on Wednesday he announced a 90 day pause for countries willing to negotiate new trade deals. However, Trump’s announcement does not include China, saying he will increase to a 125% tariff on imports to the United States.
Trump said more than 75 countries reached out to him to negotiate and as a result he dropped their tariff rates to a universal 10%.
Several rounds of tariffs the president enacted in March will remain in place, including 25% import taxes on foreign steel, aluminum and cars — charges which sparked the European Union to approve retaliatory tariffs Wednesday.
Canada and Mexico, which both face up to 25% tariffs on a sizable chunk of products, will continue to see the levies but will not face an additional 10% stacked on top.
Trump’s 25% tax on imports from any country that buys oil from Venezuela also remains unchanged.
McCormick said he believes the best way to make tariffs work is to “be very specific about the bad behavior” from those countries and trading partners and negotiate deals that are “fair for the American worker.”
“That’s what I think is happening now,” McCormick said. “I think there’s a series of negotiations underway with the countries around the world that are having that conversation about, here’s what’s unfair. That’s why there’s a tariff on you, or there’s going to be a tariff on you, and here’s what you need to do. So that’s the goal of it.”
McCormick describes himself as a supporter of “reciprocal” tariffs.
McCormick, and other supporters of Trump’s plan, have argued that if it is successful, it will help increase manufacturing in the United States and make it easier to sell products abroad. However some economists are skeptical and worry about rising costs for consumers.
The state’s junior U.S. senator also acknowledged that it is “a little too early to tell” the impact it will have on consumers, if Trump’s tariff plan is successful.
“It depends a lot on the currency, but there could be an increase in prices,” McCormick said. “So for me, I’m trying to give the president some time to execute his strategy.”
McCormick said he will be monitoring the situation carefully by following consumer prices and attempting to “be a force” on influencing trade negotiations with the White House.
“But as I said, we’re four or five days into this,” McCormick said Wednesday evening. “I think it’s just too early to know what the implications are.”
“I think we should give the President a little bit of time to get his strategy in place, because it’s already evolved a good bit just since it was announced,” he added.
Others on the call expressed concern with the latest turmoil in the stock market since Trump’s tariff announcement.
McCormick said it’s hard to watch the volatility right now with the stock market, but believes that it “is going to be just fine” if Trump’s “pro-growth policies” are put in place regarding tariffs, energy, investing in manufacturing, and extending tax cuts.
“I think the best way to deal with it is, monitor carefully, but don’t plan on making any changes based on what happened yesterday or what happens today,” McCormick said in response to a question from a 42 year-old constituent concerned about their 401K.
“Over the long term, if our economy is strong, if we put those pro-growth policies in place, the economy is going to take off,” he added. “And if the economy takes off, then the stock market is going to be just fine.”
McCormick said he’s “really sympathetic” to those who are past retirement watching the volatility in the stock market, and vowed that he would protect their benefits by not touching Social Security.
A “showdown” for sanctuary cities may be looming
McCormick predicted there will be a standoff between the federal government and Pennsylvania’s sanctuary cities and counties.
“Both from a law enforcement perspective, but also from federal funding,” McCormick said.
Since Trump was elected, some elected officials in Pennsylvania, including Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey, have said their offices would not work with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), as the federal government proceeds with the president’s campaign promise of mass deportations of undocumented immigrants.
Saying the number one issue in the previous presidential election was issues relating to border policies, he pointed to Trump’s victory as a reason he believes people want to see the Department of Homeland Security crack down on sanctuary cities.
“I’m all for enforcing the law humanely. I’m all for repatriating people back to their countries, recognizing that’s a very difficult thing to do,” McCormick said. “But in the end, we have to enforce the law, and I think that’s what’s going to happen with these towns and cities that are not enforcing the law.”
“I think there’s going to be a showdown, which ultimately they’re going to lose,” he added.
There are 13 sanctuary cities and counties in Pennsylvania, according to the Center for Immigration Studies.
On Thursday, Trump announced on social media that his administration was “working on papers to withhold all Federal Funding for any City or State that allows” sanctuary cities.
Tips cap to Casey on bill to boost homecare workers for aging population
In response to a constituent’s call from Morgantown, Berks County, McCormick said he will consider supporting the Credit for Caring Act.
Sponsors of the bipartisan legislation say the proposal would create a new tax credit of up to $5,000 for working family caregivers.
A member of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, he said the issue has been brought up to him by constituents before as well as groups that have lobbied on behalf of Alzheimer’s patients back the proposal.
“We have a huge aging population in Pennsylvania,” McCormick said. “This is an area where Senator (Robert) Casey was the chairman of the committee, and honestly, I think he was very focused on these issues in a good way.”
Pennsylvania is the fifth oldest state in the nation. One in four residents are senior citizens, according to Pennsylvania’s Department of Aging, with the population projecting to grow to one in three Pennsylvanians by 2030.
“I’m the number two member of the Committee on the Republican side, and I’m going to be very active on this, because it’s something that’s so important to our voters,” McCormick added. “So I can promise you, I’m going to give it a very careful review, and I am aware of this.”
Pennsylvania Capital-Star is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Pennsylvania Capital-Star maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Tim Lambert for questions: [email protected].
by John Cole, Pennsylvania Capital-Star
April 10, 2025
During his second telephone town hall since being sworn-in, Pennsylvania U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick (R) said it was too early to determine how effective President Donald Trump’s tariff policies are, but urged patience as he backs the ever-changing approach.
“I think the honest answer is, it’s just too early to tell,” McCormick said.
A constituent asked McCormick if there was data that supports tariffs being effective to boost the American manufacturing sector versus increasing costs for consumers.
The senator said he thinks tariffs “could really make sense” against China and other countries, who he believes have been “very unfair” to the United States, citing their trade policies.
On April 2, Trump announced tariffs on products from all foreign countries, although on Wednesday he announced a 90 day pause for countries willing to negotiate new trade deals. However, Trump’s announcement does not include China, saying he will increase to a 125% tariff on imports to the United States.
Trump said more than 75 countries reached out to him to negotiate and as a result he dropped their tariff rates to a universal 10%.
Several rounds of tariffs the president enacted in March will remain in place, including 25% import taxes on foreign steel, aluminum and cars — charges which sparked the European Union to approve retaliatory tariffs Wednesday.
Canada and Mexico, which both face up to 25% tariffs on a sizable chunk of products, will continue to see the levies but will not face an additional 10% stacked on top.
Trump’s 25% tax on imports from any country that buys oil from Venezuela also remains unchanged.
McCormick said he believes the best way to make tariffs work is to “be very specific about the bad behavior” from those countries and trading partners and negotiate deals that are “fair for the American worker.”
“That’s what I think is happening now,” McCormick said. “I think there’s a series of negotiations underway with the countries around the world that are having that conversation about, here’s what’s unfair. That’s why there’s a tariff on you, or there’s going to be a tariff on you, and here’s what you need to do. So that’s the goal of it.”
McCormick describes himself as a supporter of “reciprocal” tariffs.
McCormick, and other supporters of Trump’s plan, have argued that if it is successful, it will help increase manufacturing in the United States and make it easier to sell products abroad. However some economists are skeptical and worry about rising costs for consumers.
The state’s junior U.S. senator also acknowledged that it is “a little too early to tell” the impact it will have on consumers, if Trump’s tariff plan is successful.
“It depends a lot on the currency, but there could be an increase in prices,” McCormick said. “So for me, I’m trying to give the president some time to execute his strategy.”
McCormick said he will be monitoring the situation carefully by following consumer prices and attempting to “be a force” on influencing trade negotiations with the White House.
“But as I said, we’re four or five days into this,” McCormick said Wednesday evening. “I think it’s just too early to know what the implications are.”
“I think we should give the President a little bit of time to get his strategy in place, because it’s already evolved a good bit just since it was announced,” he added.
Others on the call expressed concern with the latest turmoil in the stock market since Trump’s tariff announcement.
McCormick said it’s hard to watch the volatility right now with the stock market, but believes that it “is going to be just fine” if Trump’s “pro-growth policies” are put in place regarding tariffs, energy, investing in manufacturing, and extending tax cuts.
“I think the best way to deal with it is, monitor carefully, but don’t plan on making any changes based on what happened yesterday or what happens today,” McCormick said in response to a question from a 42 year-old constituent concerned about their 401K.
“Over the long term, if our economy is strong, if we put those pro-growth policies in place, the economy is going to take off,” he added. “And if the economy takes off, then the stock market is going to be just fine.”
McCormick said he’s “really sympathetic” to those who are past retirement watching the volatility in the stock market, and vowed that he would protect their benefits by not touching Social Security.
A “showdown” for sanctuary cities may be looming
McCormick predicted there will be a standoff between the federal government and Pennsylvania’s sanctuary cities and counties.
“Both from a law enforcement perspective, but also from federal funding,” McCormick said.
Since Trump was elected, some elected officials in Pennsylvania, including Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey, have said their offices would not work with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), as the federal government proceeds with the president’s campaign promise of mass deportations of undocumented immigrants.
Saying the number one issue in the previous presidential election was issues relating to border policies, he pointed to Trump’s victory as a reason he believes people want to see the Department of Homeland Security crack down on sanctuary cities.
“I’m all for enforcing the law humanely. I’m all for repatriating people back to their countries, recognizing that’s a very difficult thing to do,” McCormick said. “But in the end, we have to enforce the law, and I think that’s what’s going to happen with these towns and cities that are not enforcing the law.”
“I think there’s going to be a showdown, which ultimately they’re going to lose,” he added.
There are 13 sanctuary cities and counties in Pennsylvania, according to the Center for Immigration Studies.
On Thursday, Trump announced on social media that his administration was “working on papers to withhold all Federal Funding for any City or State that allows” sanctuary cities.
Tips cap to Casey on bill to boost homecare workers for aging population
In response to a constituent’s call from Morgantown, Berks County, McCormick said he will consider supporting the Credit for Caring Act.
Sponsors of the bipartisan legislation say the proposal would create a new tax credit of up to $5,000 for working family caregivers.
A member of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, he said the issue has been brought up to him by constituents before as well as groups that have lobbied on behalf of Alzheimer’s patients back the proposal.
“We have a huge aging population in Pennsylvania,” McCormick said. “This is an area where Senator (Robert) Casey was the chairman of the committee, and honestly, I think he was very focused on these issues in a good way.”
Pennsylvania is the fifth oldest state in the nation. One in four residents are senior citizens, according to Pennsylvania’s Department of Aging, with the population projecting to grow to one in three Pennsylvanians by 2030.
“I’m the number two member of the Committee on the Republican side, and I’m going to be very active on this, because it’s something that’s so important to our voters,” McCormick added. “So I can promise you, I’m going to give it a very careful review, and I am aware of this.”
Pennsylvania Capital-Star is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Pennsylvania Capital-Star maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Tim Lambert for questions: [email protected].
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