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This situation has resulted in the decline of America’s manufacturing sector, with entire communities suffering as factories closed and jobs disappeared due to trade imbalances. Rubio stressed the need to rectify this situation, noting that certain essential industries must be nurtured domestically to provide jobs and maintain national security.
Strategic Use of Tariffs
As the discussion turned back to current tariffs, Rubio acknowledged that while some of the retaliatory tariffs on consumer goods like champagne may appear unnecessary, they serve as a response to Canada's own tariff adjustments. He explained that the nature of international trade is often transactional and retaliatory, with both sides imposing tariffs as a means to assert economic leverage.