St. Paul Reporter

Betty McCollum, a respected member of the U.S. Congress representing Minnesota’s 4th district since 2001, has recently taken to social media to express her concerns over the economic repercussions of trade policies. She highlighted the impact these policies could have on the general public, particularly through her tweets addressing tariffs and their consequences.

Posting on April 2, 2025, McCollum remarked, "Groceries" is only an old-fashioned and beautiful term if you are an out-of-touch billionaire who does not buy them. Tariffs are taxes. Grocery prices will rise." This comment underscores her view that tariffs function as indirect taxes on essential consumer goods, like groceries.

In another post on the same day, April 2, 2025, McCollum stated, "The only thing the Trump Tariffs will 'liberate' is Americans’ money from their bank accounts." This tweet criticizes what she perceives as the financial burden placed on Americans due to the tariffs imposed.

On April 3, 2025, McCollum expanded on her perspective by referencing promises made by Donald Trump during his candidacy. She remarked, "As a candidate, Donald Trump promised he’d lower costs on ‘Day One.’ As President, Trump’s igniting a trade war that his own advisors say will bring economic pain for the American people." With this statement, she pointed to the disparity between campaign promises and the realities she believes the American public now faces under these trade policies.