A major centrist Democrat is telling his party they are going the “wrong” route on trade.
One of the few Democrats to show some hope at President Donald Trump’s backing for tariffs, particularly his decision to impose a 10% baseline charge on all U.S. imports, was Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine.
In a quick interview with AWN Digital on Thursday, Golden said he himself suggested 10% uniform tariff legislation earlier this year and in the last Congress.
Golden responded, “Well, I believe House Democrats are moving in the wrong way regarding trade,” when asked how his position on tariffs has been received by colleagues.
The Maine Democrat said of the most recent uproar, “I believe it has been a knee-jerk reaction to the president.”
Golden said the Democratic Party he joined in his “formative years” was “the party that was warning about things like the World Trade Organization or [the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)].”
Golden remarked, “It’s unfortunate since it has sort of, I believe, moved suddenly in the opposite direction.” You have to consider beyond, you know, who the president is… to question what would benefit working-class people or rural areas, or places like Detroit, whatever it may be—those who have suffered most under the current trading system.
He said, though, “It’s not only about Trump; I believe this discussion has been simmering since the ’90s.”
On topics including trade, border security and, especially, former President Joe Biden’s student debt forgiveness initiatives, Golden has been known to depart from his own party.
In 2024, he won his seat in Maine’s 2nd Congressional District by just 1%; Trump won the district by 10%.
Golden stated on Wednesday that he was “pleased” Trump’s tariff proposal matched his own thoughts for a unified tax on foreign products.
Working with the president to repair the damaged “free trade” system that enriched international companies but devastated industrial towns all throughout the country excites me. Tariffs, however, have to go together with programs giving American households first priority.
He noted, though, that Trump “added several new tariff policies” in addition to the 10% flat tax and that he would want time to thoroughly examine the policies before commenting on them more.
Trump’s strategy calls for a 10% blanket tariff on all U.S. imports as well as retaliatory levies on friends and enemies reaching around 50%.
Golden continued, “We have to ensure the new strategy helps working people—that means backing unions, the trades and apprenticeship programs, reducing rules hampering production, releasing American energy and using tariff income to help local manufacturers generating good-paying jobs for Americans.”
He stated, “Tariffs are the first step in changing a rigged trade system; they cannot be the last one.”
