This week, President-elect Trump once-again promised to impose significant tariffs on goods from Mexico, Canada, and China on the day he takes office.
While tariffs are often cited as solutions to problems, such as job losses, history has a long track record of unintended consequences, including inflation, supply chain disruptions and constraints, job losses, and retaliatory tariffs and import restrictions from other countries.
Lori Otto Punke, President of the Washington Council on International Trade (WCIT), noted, “Canada, Mexico, and China are the Northwest’s top trading partners, and 40% of the jobs in Washington state are tied to trade. Tariffs will not only eliminate jobs, but families will be hit with even more inflation on goods they need to buy.
“Rather than stoking the fires of protectionism, we need to establish more trade agreements that benefit all parties involved. Knitting economies together through trade forges bonds of peace and prosperity.” 
For additional resources, please see several WCIT resources:
- WCIT Northwest Trade Dashboard to track quarterly trends in key indicators
- Tariff Reductions Can Bring Inflation Relief
- Tariffs, US-China Tensions Impacting Washington State Trade
- The Pacific Northwest Global Trade Hub Report
- The Future of Trade: Positioning Washington State for Economic Growth in the Next Decade
For additional information on international trade in the Northwest, please contact Lori Otto Punke, President of WCIT, at lori@wcit.org, or Dan Whiting at dan@wcit.org.
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WCIT is the Northwest’s premier organization advocating for trade and investment policies that increase the competitiveness of Northwest workers, farmers, and businesses. Our diverse membership includes small and medium-sized companies, Fortune 500 businesses, and agriculture producers that together represent industries ranging from manufacturing, food, and retail to technology and science.