Jamieson Greer, the US trade representative, faced a heated Senate hearing on Wednesday, denying that President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs have increased prices for American families. Despite US inflation hitting a three-year high earlier this year, Greer told lawmakers that the tariffs were not to blame.
Greer's Denial and Democratic Pushback
During the Senate Finance Committee session, Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren directly asked Greer if the tariffs had raised prices for families. Greer responded with a simple "No." He cited core inflation falling to 2.6% year-on-year, claiming it was better than in January 2025. However, core inflation excludes food and energy, and overall inflation remains higher than when Joe Biden left office.
Warren countered, citing an estimate based on nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office and Treasury Department data, showing families pay an average of $1,700 more in tariff costs since Trump's return to office.
Trump's Tariff Policy Under Scrutiny
The hearing comes at a critical time for Trump's tariff strategy. In February, the US Supreme Court ruled many tariffs illegal, a damaging blow. The administration replaced them with a 10% tariff on much of the world, but that regime expires on Friday. Trump officials, including Greer, have indicated a new wave of duties on imports is coming.
Senator Raphael Warnock challenged Greer, stating Trump had "made life more expensive for everybody" before the US-Israel war on Iran sent energy prices soaring. Warnock accused Greer and Trump of being "in denial" about tariffs raising prices, a fact confirmed by multiple studies and basic common sense.
Warnock Grills Greer on Evidence
Warnock asked if Greer had produced any rigorous peer-reviewed study refuting that tariffs contributed to inflation, or if his rebuttal was "just based on vibes." Greer replied, "Well, no, we don't do vibes, senator." He then began discussing inflation and egg prices, but Warnock interjected, saying, "That's not my question."
Warnock concluded, "The point is that tariffs contributed to inflation. Prices are higher than when the president came into office, and tariffs made it worse."
