¶ Overview
As Trump's tariffs pummeled Minnesota farmers, jacked up the cost of consumer goods, squeezed local businesses, and forced job losses across the state, Tafoya claimed “tariffs work.” Amid the chaos, she refused to acknowledge that Trump usurped Congress's power of the purse to wreak his trade war havoc. Tafoya suggested that tariffs were “leverage to bring people to the table,” even as corporations reaped billions in tariff refunds while consumers got nothing.
¶ Tafoya Backed Trump's Devastating Tariffs
¶ Tafoya Demurred When Asked If Trump Had The Right To Unilaterally Enact Tariffs
Tafoya Demurred When Asked If Trump Had The Right To Unilaterally Enact Tariffs. According to NOTUS, “Asked whether she thought Trump had the right to enact tariffs unilaterally or if Congress should have a say in the trade issues, Tafoya demurred. ‘I’d need the totality of the circumstances,’ she said. ‘I’d want to look at all the information, and so I don’t want to get into hypotheticals with you on tariffs right now.’” [NOTUS, 1/21/26]
¶ Tafoya Mused That “Maybe Tariffs Work” Amid Trump’s Trade War Threats
Tafoya Mused That “Maybe Tariffs Work” Amid Trump’s Trade War Threats. Michele Tafoya posted, “So, maybe tariffs work…?? Colombia's President Gustavo Petro buckles under Trump's trade war threat -- offers presidential plane for deportation flights” [Twitter, @Michele_Tafoya, 1/26/25]
¶ Tafoya Praised Trump's Tariffs And Claimed They Were “Leverage To Bring People To The Table”
Tafoya Praised Trump’s Tariffs And Said “I’m All About That. I’m In Favor Of That.” According to MPR, “This was the first public forum or debate for Michele Tafoya, a former sports broadcaster running her first campaign for public office. She hammered on fraud in Minnesota, saying the state's lack of oversight made taxpayers weary. Tafoya praised farmers and touted President Donald Trump's trade deals and tariffs. ‘In the short term, that causes disruptions, and that stinks. So there should be short-term bridge assistance to farmers to get through those disruptions. I'm all about that. I'm in favor of that,’ she said. ‘But in the long term, we need to focus on what works for all of you in the long term, and that is trade agreements all over the world.’” [MPR News, 8/6/26]
Tafoya Suggested Tariffs Were “Leverage To Bring People To The Table.” According to KTTC, “Republicans and DFLers sparred on issues like immigration and tariffs. […] ‘I think that some tariffs can be used as leverage to bring people to the table,’ Tafoya said, also noting that said tariffs should have some guardrails.” [KTTC, 8/6/26]
[VIDEO] Tafoya Praised Trump On Tariffs And Said Farmers Knew It Was Coming. “Host: I know how important for farmers being so close to Canada is and how that can change your business and the like. So do you have a sense that there have been some Republicans who’ve crossed over to vote with Democrats on the tariffs? Do you have a sense of what would be best for Minnesota? Do you trust the president's continued stewardship of the trade relationships? What are you thinking about that issue right now? Tafoya: Well, certainly the president in his work in trade has brought in trillions of dollars to the United States. And we are still still rebounding from the four years of just sky high inflation from the Biden administration. I don't want to overlook that because it can't be overlooked because it's in the paperwork. It's fact, right? This is what we've had to come back from. I've talked to multiple farmers who really just want the government to stay out of their way and let them do what they need to do. At the same time, you know, look, we're talking corn, we're talking soybeans, we're talking sugar beet and these things. Some people have benefited from some subsidies in the farm bill. So I would need to see exactly what the proposals are. I would need to look at the legislation very carefully before I decided how to go about doing this. But some of the farmers are very patient and they've said, look, this was sort of baked in, saw it coming, knew this might be a factor, so we prepared. Other farmers, maybe didn't. No one works harder than farmers know one. You know that having been from Wisconsin, they are around the clock year round. It's a constant game of catching up. So it's a very nuanced issue and one that I certainly would like all the facts in front of me before I deliver an answer on that.” [After Party with Emily Jashinsky, 4/6/26]
¶ Trump’s Tariffs Wreaked Havoc On Minnesotans
¶ Trump’s Tariffs Deprived Minnesota Farmers Of Export Orders
Trump’s Tariffs Deprived Minnesota Farmers Of Export Orders. According to the Minnesota Star Tribune, “It’s a bad year for a good soybean harvest as tariffs decimate export orders. Minnesota farmers were in the nation’s capital this week pleading for a bailout. Historically, Minnesota sends two out of every three rows of soybeans overseas, typically to feed livestock. China has often bought the bulk of those exports. As of early September, Chinese buyers have yet to book any shipments of American soybeans from the upcoming harvest. That’s a far cry from the 12 million to 13 million tons they’d booked by this time last year, traders told Reuters this week. […] Because of the trade war with China, U.S. soybeans cost about 20% more than South American beans. That’s due to trade duties imposed by the Chinese government in response to President Donald Trump’s increased tariffs on goods bound for the U.S. market.” [Minnesota Star Tribune, 9/11/25]
¶ Tariffs Were Ballooning Grocery Costs In Minnesota
Tariffs Were Ballooning Grocery Costs. According to KARE, “At Colonial Market in Bloomington, owner Danny Hernandez says the pressures facing grocery stores have intensified in recent months, and shoppers are noticing it at the checkout line. ‘Less than three weeks ago, we paid $15.20 for a box of tomatoes… now it’s $75,’ Hernandez said during a tour of the store with Congresswoman Kelly Morrison. ‘That’s because of tariffs.’ […] President Donald Trump has repeatedly defended both his tariff policies and immigration operations, saying the economic impacts are temporary and prices will eventually come down. Meanwhile, Hernandez says families are already being forced to make difficult choices in grocery aisles right now.” [KARE, 5/22/26]
¶ Trump’s Tariff Whiplash Threw Minnesota Businesses Into Uncertainty
Trump’s Tariff Whiplash Threw Minnesota Businesses Into Uncertainty. According to Twin Cities Business Magazine, “It took President Trump almost six weeks to reduce the high tariffs on China that he announced with much fanfare April 2 in a Rose Garden ceremony. […] The reality that American consumers will pay higher prices was brought into sharp focus May 15 when Walmart announced it was raising prices on products affected by tariffs. While Trump deployed some tariffs in his first term and talked about tariffs during the 2024 presidential campaign, the magnitude of tariffs he imposed across the world this year caught many U.S. businesses by surprise. Emily LeVasseur, president of the Association for Supply Chain Management-Twin Cities chapter, says she’s been seeing “a paralysis in strategic decision-making” among several Minnesota businesses. ‘Everybody is kind of stepping back and saying, “OK, we need to pause. We need to let this shake out before we make any significant investments in our supply chain, in our cost structures.” It’s really hampering decision-making because of that uncertainty,’ LeVasseur says.” [Twin Cities Business Magazine, 6/6/25]
¶ Trump’s Tariffs Led To Layoffs In The Minnesota Steel Industry He Claimed To Protect
Trump’s Tariffs Led To Layoffs In The Minnesota Steel Industry He Claimed To Protect. According to MPR News, “About 600 Iron Range mine workers could be laid off by May, potentially spending six months off the job. This comes a little over a week after President Donald Trump imposed 25 percent tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports and Canada retaliated with its own 25 percent tax. […] ‘There is going to be demand for steel, and the Iron Range is where you get the iron ore in this country,’ he said. ‘They’re used to shutdowns. It’s just, somewhat ironic it’s happening at a time when tariffs are supposedly protecting the steel industry.’” [MPR News, 3/21/25]