Governor Spanberger Confronts Trump Administration on “Real and Mounting Economic Harm” of Continued Tariffs

RICHMOND, VA - Governor Abigail Spanberger today urged the Trump Administration - the U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Office of the United States Trade Representative - to confront the consequences of President Trump's tariffs and focus on bringing stability as the President imposes new 50 percent tariffs on Canadian goods and Canada prepares to retaliate.

Canada is Virginia's second-largest trade partner and single-largest export market. In 2025, Virginia exported $2.9 billion in goods to Canada - and $19 billion in total to all trade partners, with Canada and the United States trading a total of $6.3 billion. Last year, Virginia's largest and third-largest private industries, agriculture and forestry, exported $3.13 billion in products - a sizeable decline compared to $3.44 billion in 2024. In 2023, Virginia good exports supported an estimated 73,000 jobs across the Commonwealth.

The Trump Administration's tariffs are hurting producers and small businesses, disrupting supply chains, and contributing to increasing financial strain for Virginians. Since the start of President Trump's second term, costs have increased for families across the Commonwealth by an average of $2,900.

In a letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, Governor Spanberger outlined the harm caused to some of Virginia's largest industries, the Commonwealth's economy, and Virginia families by the Administration's reckless tariff policies - beginning under President Trump's first term through the most recent tariffs imposed on Canada.

"The Administration's actions have directly contributed to a marked decline in Virginia's agricultural and forestry exports, and the sectors are now absorbing sharp tariff-driven losses across our Commonwealth," said Governor Abigail Spanberger. "Beyond agriculture, Virginia's small businesses - whether in retail, manufacturing, or hospitality - operate on thin margins and have very little capacity to absorb sustained cost increases from tariffs on imported goods. Thus, business owners have been forced to choose between trying to absorb higher costs or, regrettably, having to pass these increased costs on to customers who themselves are already stretched thin."

Governor Spanberger continued, "I urge you to take a hard look at the damage being done to communities across Virginia and the nation and reconsider your approach to future trade policy for our country."

Click here to read the Governor's full letter to Secretary Lutnick and Secretary Rollins.

In a separate letter to U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer, the Governor urged him to focus on restoring predictable market access for Virginia agricultural and manufacturing exporters. Additionally, Governor Spanberger called on Ambassador Greer to prioritize strengthening the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) amid joint review of the critical trade agreement.

"The collapse of recent tariff negotiations will cause immediate harm to Virginia workers, farmers, foresters, and businesses and threaten the stability of our long-standing and vital commercial partnership," said Governor Spanberger. "Each export to Canada leads back to a dedicated Virginian working an honest job, running a business, or raising high-quality products while supporting the economy and contributing to their local community. When Canada responds with further retaliatory tariffs in September, the competitiveness of Virginia's exports will suffer significantly. As Governor, I must express my complete opposition to these damaging actions that will cause harm to Virginia's businesses in a matter of days."

Governor Spanberger continued, "Simply put, continuing down this path will have devastating consequences for Virginia and states across the country. Virginia's relationship with Canada is not an abstraction. Canada represents the largest single destination for Virginia's exports. This crucial economic partnership took decades of trade policy continuity to build. I urge you to treat the stability of that relationship as a priority."

Click here to read the Governor's full letter to Ambassador Greer.

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Governor Spanberger has long worked to expand trade opportunities for Virginia businesses. In July, the Governor led her first international economic trade mission - meeting with global business leaders in the United Kingdom, Italy, and France to strengthen Virginia's trade relationships and position the Commonwealth for future investment.

As a Member of Congress, Governor Spanberger worked with Democrats and Republicans to pass the bipartisan United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which facilitates stronger trade partnerships between the three countries.

Governor Spanberger is working to support Virginia agriculture and Virginia's producers. Earlier this summer, the Governor heard directly from cattlemen, farmers, and producers at a sixth-generation, family-owned farm in Washington County about the impacts of damaging federal trade policies that are hurting Virginia farms.

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