Vice President Kamala Harris has not developed a formal international trade policy, but a look at her support for President Biden’s trade policy and her positions as a senator could provide some guidance. A key issue is whether the Biden administration advisers stay on in the Harris campaign and administration. Notably, Biden maintained most of Donald Trump’s tariffs on China and added tariffs on electric vehicles, semiconductors, critical minerals, and other products. These tariffs were designed to reduce dependence on China for critical supplies. Biden also maintained Trump’s Section 232 national security tariffs on steel and aluminum.
Trump trade policy
Trade policy: “[M]y trade policy, under a Harris administration, is always going to be about saying, we need to export American products, not American jobs. And to do that, we have to have a meaningful trade policy,” Harris said. She stated at a primary debate in September 2019: “I am not a protectionist Democrat.”
Criticism of Trump tariffs: Harris criticized Trump’s tariffs as “the Trump trade tax” as a presidential candidate in 2020. “[T]his President continues to push forward what I call the Trump trade tax. This is about taxing American consumers. People are going to have to pay more for washing machines, pay more for clothing, pay more for shampoo. When we look at the trade policy he is conducting in terms of China, now with Mexico, it’s going to result in people here paying billions of dollars more a year for consumer products.”
“We’ve got a guy in the White House who has been erratic on trade policy. He conducts trade policy by tweet, frankly born out of his fragile ego. It has resulted in farmers in Iowa with soybeans rotting in bins, looking at bankruptcy.”
Trump’s proposed 10% baseline tariffs: “On the issue of the cost of living, Donald Trump says he will implement a ten percent tariff on all imported goods. Well understand, independent economists agree, his tariffs would increase the cost of everyday expenses for families, the cost of gas, groceries, and clothing,” she said.
Free Trade Agreements
NAFTA: “I would not have voted for NAFTA, because I believe that we can do a better job to protect American workers.”
USMCA: Harris voted against Trump’s renegotiated NAFTA known as the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement. She cited insufficient environmental provisions in her opposition. (Biden supported the USMCA as a presidential candidate.) “[A]fter careful study and consultation with environmental and conservation leaders, I have concluded that the USMCA’s environmental provisions are insufficient—and by not addressing climate change, the USMCA fails to meet the crises of this moment. Californians know that the climate crisis is already here. Communities across our state have experienced exacerbated fires, storms, floods, and drought, and the devastation will only get worse if we fail to take bold and immediate action to address it. This agreement will set the standards for decades, and I believe Californians and all Americans deserve better and more immediate action. For these reasons, I oppose this deal.”
Trans-Pacific Partnership: Harris opposed the TPP as a Senate candidate in 2016. She cited concerns over workers and the climate. Trump withdrew from U.S. from the TPP in 2017. “As I’ve long said, I will oppose any trade deal that doesn’t look out for the best interests of American workers and raise environmental standards, and unfortunately the TPP didn’t pass either test. I also raised concerns at the time about the lack of transparency in the process.” (Biden supported TPP.)
“In my administration, labor and civil society groups will always have a seat at the table to ensure that trade agreements do achieve these important objectives. And I think that’s exactly what we need – pro-labor, pro-environment trade deals – because it’s clear Donald Trump’s protectionist approach has been a disaster. His trade war is crushing American farmers, killing American jobs, and punishing American consumers. I would work with our allies in Europe and Asia to confront China on its troubling trade practices, not perpetuate Trump’s failing tariff war that is being paid for by hard-working Americans.”