Lawmakers say Trump tariffs are threatening local newspapers

Lawmakers on Tuesday warned of the dangers President Trump’s tariffs could pose to local newspapers during a hearing on Capitol Hill.

Roughly a dozen members of Congress were testifying against the tariffs at an International Trade Commission hearing, according to the Associated Press. The commission is investigating whether the Commerce Department should make the tariffs permanent or reverse them.

The members of Congress said the tariffs, which were put in place by the Trump administration after a complaint from a paper plant in Washington state, could result in workers being laid off and newspapers folding, leading to a reduction in news coverage, the AP reported.

The tariffs in question were not part of the recent slew of tariffs Trump imposed on Canadian aluminum and steel imports.

“If you end up with a smaller market, you haven’t helped anybody, let alone the plant in Washington that is petitioning for this help,” Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) said, according to the AP.

Newsprint is one of the top costs for local papers, and Trump’s tariffs have increased the costs by up to 30 percent, according to the AP.

The Tampa Bay Times said earlier this year that it would cut dozens of jobs due to the tariffs.

Lawmakers from both parties testified against the tariffs on Tuesday, and none testified in favor, according to the AP. Some argued that consumers in small towns often do not have access to online news and rely on local papers to get information.