Posted on May 19, 2025
WASHINGTON – About a third of everything the U.S. imports or exports in container ships comes through California, according to the Port of Los Angeles but less cargo, especially from China, is coming in recently because of tariffs.
“Far fewer ships reaching LA ports,” Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) said. “Long Beach, Port Hueneme are telling me they’ve got one-third of the traffic they used to have.”
California Democratic Senator Adam Schiff says that’s hurt the local economy and the cost of goods that make their way to store shelves.
This week, Walmart announced it’s raising prices.
“The president is driving the country towards recession, and it will be the Trump recession if it happens,” Schiff said.
The president earlier this month said the cargo slowdown was a good thing.
“When I see that, that means we lose less money,” President Trump said.
He recently temporarily lowered 145% tariffs on China to 30%.
“I think he is already backing down and we’ll see more of that. Along with more or less meaningless face-saving claims of deals that never materialize,” Schiff said.
Republicans say the president’s trade policy is working in bringing other countries to the negotiating table.
“We’re seeing that with the progress with the China negotiations,” Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.) said.
California Republican Congressman Tom McClintock says he doesn’t like tariffs, calling them a “terrible idea,” but says he supports them as a short-term tool to get fair trade in the long run.
He says that’s what the president is doing.
“This could herald in a year of much greater trade among all the nations of the world and the peace and prosperity that that always produces,” McClintock said.
The president said Friday he’s making progress.
“We have, at the same time,150 countries that want to make a deal,” President Trump said.
