On Tuesday, Brian Bryant rebuked President Trump’s erratic tariff policies yet again. His statement:
“The Trump administration’s erratic approach to tariffs is wreaking havoc on workers and businesses in the United States and Canada. This reckless trade policy creates unnecessary economic uncertainty, threatens good-paying jobs, and disrupts industries that rely on a stable and cooperative North American supply chain.
“The IAM Union calls for an immediate and permanent end to these damaging tariffs. Canada is not an adversary—it is one of our closest allies and largest trading partners. Instead of using tariffs as a political weapon, the Trump administration should focus on policies reinforcing economic ties between our nations and protecting workers’ livelihoods in aerospace, defense, and manufacturing.
“IAM members demand a trade strategy that puts workers first, fosters long-term economic growth, and strengthens our manufacturing base on both sides of the border.
“Now is the time for real leadership. Real lives are at stake. We urge President Trump and his trade advisors to sit down with all the stakeholders—government, business, and labor—to work together on a comprehensive plan that ensures stability, growth, and job security for workers across North America.”1
Meanwhile, a badass at the Associated Press (AP) fact checked Trump’s press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, in real time.2 As I explained last week, Trump’s tariff plan represents around a 3% tax hike for BIW workers.
AP reporter Josh Boak asked Leavitt why Trump is prioritizing “tax hikes.” Where are the tax cuts he promised on the campaign trail?3 In the following exchange, Leavitt demonstrated how little she knows about Trump’s policies:
Leavitt “He’s actually not implementing tax hikes. Tariffs are a tax hike on foreign countries that, again, have been ripping us off. Tariffs are a tax cut for the American people, and the president is a staunch advocate for tax cuts. As you know, he campaigned on no taxes on tips, no taxes on overtime, no taxes on Social Security benefits. He has committed to all three of those things, and he expects Congress to pass them later this year.”
Boak: “I’m sorry, have you ever paid a tariff? Because I have. They don’t get charged on foreign companies, they get charged on importers.”
Leavitt: “I think it’s insulting that you’re trying to test my knowledge of economics, and the decision that this president has made. I now regret giving a question to The Associated Press.”4
Trump keeps pussyfooting around actually implementing his tariff plan. His erratic behavior has already harmed our state. Maine prices are increasing faster than the national average. In February, “energy prices increased 0.2 percent nationally… while Maine increased 0.5 percent, due to increased heating fuel prices.” Egg prices jumped, too. Although prices surged by 10.4 percent nationally, Maine’s eggs now cost 17 percent more. This is more than a 6 point difference!5
- Brian Bryant, “IAM Union Rebukes President Trump’s Erratic Tariff Policies as Economic Anxiety for Working Families Continues to Rise,” news release, March 11, 2025. ↩︎
- Alan Herrera, “Reporter Instantly Fact-Checks Karoline Leavitt After She Proves She Doesn’t Know What A Tariff Is,” comic sands, March 12, 2025. ↩︎
- Brett Samuels, “AP reporter spars with White House over tariffs,” The Hill, March 11, 2025. ↩︎
- Quoted in Brett Samuels, “AP reporter spars with White House over tariffs,” The Hill, March 11, 2025; and Lindsay Kornick, “Karoline Leavitt shuts down AP reporter after ‘insulting’ question on tariffs,” March 11, 2025. ↩︎
- Madi Smith, “Maine prices are increasing faster than the national average,” Bangor Daily News, March 13, 2025. ↩︎
From The Deckplates 