Trump trade threats over Canada wildfires should trigger clawback of trade power by Congress

On social media today, President Trump threatened to impose extra tariffs on Canada, citing the government’s “willful negligence” in quelling massive wildfires currently causing smoky conditions and poor air quality in parts of the Midwest and East Coast. CEI Senior Economist Ryan Young took exception to the chief executive using trade policy as retribution for environmental problems:

“When you have a hammer, everything looks like a nail. It is time for Congress to take away President Trump’s tariff hammer.

“A wildfire tariff is just the latest of many examples of Trump’s tariff obsession. Against Canada alone, Trump has previously invoked the War of 1812 and television commercials aired during baseball games as excuses to enact new tariffs.

“In the short term, hopefully the president’s policy team takes this idea as seriously as it deserves, and nothing comes of it. In the longer term, Congress badly needs to restore the separation of powers and reduce overgrown presidential power.”