Texas Gov. Abbott: President Trump uses tariffs as leverage to boost border security
FRISCO — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott sought to reassure Texans about potential higher tariffs and even a trade war in the future. He made his comments in an interview with CBS News Texas, the only TV station in the state that spoke with him following the State of the State address Sunday night.
The governor commented on the same day President Donald Trump agreed with the leaders of Mexico and Canada to pause higher tariffs for 30 days. The president's tariffs against both countries were set to begin at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, with the other countries promising retaliatory tariffs.
Texas is the largest exporting state in the U.S., and business owners are concerned.
"Remember, tactics occurred during the first Trump administration," Abbott said. "We got through it. Texas remained a very robust economy at that time and the same thing is going to happen this time. Everyone knows Trump uses tariffs as a tactic to achieve another goal and everyone also knows that the number one priority for Trump as well as the people of the United States of America is to have to secure the border, stop fentanyl and crime pouring across our border into our state. Trump levied or said he was going to levy these tariffs to achieve the goal of having a safer United States, of having a more secure border."
Over the weekend, on X, the governor posted a response to a report that Canada was targeting Republican-led states like Texas when considering a response.
"Careful Trudeau, the Texas economy is larger than Canada's and we're not afraid to use it," Abbott said.
When asked what he meant, the governor explained, "It was a pushback as much as they were pushing forward to say listen, if you think you're going to impose tariffs on the U.S., if you're going to target red states, our economy is larger than yours and it's a trade fight that Canada would be a loser on that Mexico would be a loser on."
Last year, Canada's gross domestic product, or GDP, was nearly $2.2 trillion. The GDP for Texas last year was $2.6 trillion.
Watch Eye on Politics on CBS News Texas at 7:30 a.m. Sunday on air and streaming.
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