San Antonio Standard

Congressman Greg Casar, representing Texas' 35th district since 2023, recently shared his perspectives on the issue of tariffs through a series of tweets. Known for his educational background from the University of Virginia and residence in Austin, Texas, Casar has taken to social media to address concerns about tariff policies and their implications.

In a tweet dated February 1, 2025, Congressman Casar discussed the role of strategic tariffs. He stated that they are sometimes necessary to protect essential industries but emphasized that "they're effective when paired with pro-worker investments in those industries." He criticized former President Donald Trump and Elon Musk for wanting "to defund federal programs alongside their tariffs," which he believes will cause problems. "Strategic tariffs are sometimes needed to protect essential industries — and they're effective when paired with pro-worker investments in those industries. But since Trump & Musk want to defund federal programs alongside their tariffs, they’re gonna make a mess."

In another tweet from the same day, Casar anticipated debates over the merits of tariffs. He expressed that while tariffs can be an important tool, he accused Trump of using them improperly. According to Casar: "You’re going to hear a ton of “tariffs are good!” vs. “tariffs are bad!” arguments this year. Here’s the truth: tariffs are an important and sometimes necessary tool. But Trump uses them in the dumbest and most corrupt ways."

Further elaborating on his criticism, Congressman Casar addressed potential exploitation resulting from Trump's tariff policies in another post made on February 1, 2025. He argued that during Trump's first term, a system was created for exemptions that benefited donors and well-connected individuals at the expense of workers. "Trump’s tariffs create opportunities for scams. During his first term, Trump created a system for exemptions that his donors and the well-connected exploited. Good tariffs are good for workers. Trump’s tariffs are good for his ego and his donors, and not much else."