WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats are quick to say that President Donald Trump’s tariffs are horrible, awful, terrible. But Democrats are also stressing that they are not inherently anti-tariff.
What Trump's political opponents say they really dislike is the “chaos” he has unleashed.
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FILE - Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, speaks during a hearing of the Senate Appropriations Committee on Capitol Hill, Nov. 20, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)
FILE - Rep. Gwen Moore, D-Wis., speaks at the Pieper-Hillside Boys & Girls Club, March 13, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)
FILE - Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., speaks, Nov. 7, 2024, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash, File)
FILE - Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer gives a policy speech at an event, April 9, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)
FILE - Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., speaks during a news conference regarding President Donald Trump's pending tariffs on Canada, at the Capitol, April 1, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.. File)
FILE - Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., speaks during a confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis, File)
“Tariffs are an important tool in our economic toolbox,” said Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. “Trump is creating chaos, and that chaos undercuts our economy and our families, both in the short term and the long term. ... He’s just created a worldwide hurricane, and that’s not good for anyone.”
Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., said Democrats have a consensus around “a unified concept, which is targeted tariffs can work, across the board tariffs are bad.”
“The right targeting is in the eye of the beholder, but nobody on our side thinks zero tariffs ever,” Kaine said.
The Democrats' message is meant to convey that they are reasonable, focused on capable governance and attuned to financial market distress. It's a pitch toward swing voters who would like to see more manufacturing yet are uncomfortable with the consequences of Trump's approach to tariffs. The risk is that it also is a nuanced argument at a time when pithy critiques travel faster and spread wider on social media than do measured policy analyses.
To the Trump White House, that message is nothing but hypocrisy.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Tuesday noted that Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., who would later become House speaker, was warning in June 1996 that trade with China meant higher trade deficits and job losses.
“It is about nothing less than our economic future, our national security and our democratic principles,” said Pelosi before the House voted to not overturn then Democratic President Bill Clinton’s decision to extend most-favored-nation trade status for China for another year.
The Trump administration views those remarks as evidence that Democrats actually back what Trump is doing, despite their stated opposition.
“Everyone in Washington, whether they want to admit it or not, knows that this president is right when it comes to tariffs and when it comes to trade,” Leavitt told reporters. “Nancy Pelosi can thank President Trump today."
Not all Democrats have threaded the needle cleanly.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer gave a speech in Washington on Wednesday calling for tariffs to be used like a “scalpel.” Hours later, she was in the Oval Office with Trump — in a moment caught on video — as the president signed directives for the Justice Department to investigate two of his public critics and gave noncommittal musings on tariff negotiations.
Whitmer’s office later said in a statement that she was “surprised” that she was brought in for the event after a meeting with Trump and that “her presence is not an endorsement of the actions taken or statements made at that event.”
Trump this month unilaterally imposed sweeping tariffs on China, the European Union, Mexico, Canada, Japan and South Korea, among dozens of other nations.
But on Wednesday, he suspended most of the tariffs for 90 days while applying a baseline import tax of 10% to most nations, a 145% tariff on Chinese goods and a tariff of as much as 25% on Mexico and Canada. There are also tariffs on autos, steel and aluminum, with more planned on specific products.
The tariffs are expected to generate hundreds of billions of dollars annually in new revenues, but an average U.S. household could see disposable income fall by more than $4,000 as importers and companies pass along the costs of the levies.
Interest rates on the U.S. debt are rising as investors worry about the soundness of Trump’s policies. Major stock indexes are down and consumer sentiment is at its second lowest level in the history of the University of Michigan survey.
Some Democrats are trying to keep the focus on their constituents, resurrecting talking points from Trump's tariff battles during his first term.
“Farmers, in particular, who were hit very hard by Trump’s last trade wars, are terrified that this may be existential to their businesses,” said Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis. “These are mostly small and medium-sized family farms. Their input costs are going to go up and their export markets are going to close down."
Rep. Gwen Moore, D-Wis., said the tariffs would be “catastrophic” for urban and rural communities alike in her state. But Moore added that Democrats should still advocate for raising labor and product standards to keep American goods and services competitive in global markets.
“I know that many of our autoworkers were lured into voting for Donald Trump because they thought perhaps he was going to give them some relief,” said Moore. “But the prices of cars are going to go up because the component parts are everywhere. There’s no strategy for it.”
But not all Democrats want to hedge their response to Trump's trade tools.
“I’m a little uninterested in what the Democratic response should be like,” said Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawaii. “Trump is intentionally destroying the American economy, and I think we should just say that and not make it very complicated.”
FILE - Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, speaks during a hearing of the Senate Appropriations Committee on Capitol Hill, Nov. 20, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)
FILE - Rep. Gwen Moore, D-Wis., speaks at the Pieper-Hillside Boys & Girls Club, March 13, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)
FILE - Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., speaks, Nov. 7, 2024, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash, File)
FILE - Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer gives a policy speech at an event, April 9, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)
FILE - Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., speaks during a news conference regarding President Donald Trump's pending tariffs on Canada, at the Capitol, April 1, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.. File)
FILE - Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., speaks during a confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis, File)
DORTMUND, Germany (AP) — Serhou Guirassy and Borussia Dortmund did what no else has been able to in 2025 — they beat Barcelona. It still wasn't enough to reach the Champions League semifinals.
Guirassy scored a hat trick and still ended up on the losing side as Dortmund's 3-1 win over Barcelona — the Spanish club's first defeat of any sort since December — wasn't enough to prevent a 5-3 aggregate loss.
After being swept aside 4-0 in the first leg of the quarterfinal, Dortmund had nothing to lose Tuesday and attacked Barcelona from the start, leaving the visitors off-balance.
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick, who has plenty of experience of facing — and beating — Dortmund from his time in the German league, said the passionate home crowd meant he'd expected a tough second leg despite his team's four-goal lead.
“I had a little bit of a feeling that something like this was coming,” Flick told broadcaster Amazon Prime. “Today you have to say congratulations to Dortmund, they played a very good game, and congratulations to my team, they're in the semifinals.”
It was an unusually quiet game for Barcelona's prolific forwards Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski, who had 12 and 11 Champions League goals respectively this season. The closest either came to scoring was a tame shot by Raphinha at Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel.
Guirassy is Dortmund's “life insurance,” coach Niko Kovac said after a game that continued his rapid rise to fame and left him top of the Champions League scoring lists this season. “Serhou just needs the support of his teammates, like every striker does, and he got that today.”
Dortmund had arguably lost the quarterfinal in the first leg, and in addition had captain Emre Can and midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka ruled out with injuries earlier in the day.
For a while, Guirassy made the impossible seem possible.
Guirassy had missed chances in the first leg and spurned a couple more early in Tuesday's game but made no mistake from the penalty spot in the 11th minute after Barcelona goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny collided with Pascal Gross.
Guirassy's header made it 2-0 in the 49th minute before an own goal by Ramy Bensebaini made Dortmund's task even harder. Fermín López's low cross that in off Bensebaini's ankle — a double disappointment for Dortmund because the defender been crucial in the comeback attempt, assisting Guirassy’s second goal shortly before.
Guirassy seized on Ronald Araujo's defensive error to complete his hat trick with a powerful close-range shot in the 76th, in the process becoming the Champions League's top scorer this season on 13 goals.
It gave Dortmund fresh hope of completing what would have been one of the all-time great Champions League comebacks — one to rival Barcelona's against Paris Saint-Germain in 2017 — but Barcelona held on to progress.
Barcelona faces either Inter Milan or Bayern Munich in the semifinals, the first time it’s reached the last four of the Champions League since the 2018-19 season. In Tuesday’s other game, PSG reached the semifinals with a 5-4 aggregate win over Aston Villa despite losing the second leg 3-2.
As well as being Barcelona’s first loss in all competitions since a 2-1 defeat to Atletico Madrid on Dec. 21, it was Barcelona's first Champions League loss since September, and only the seventh loss in Flick's 50 games in charge. The German coach had won all seven of his previous games against Dortmund in charge of Barcelona and Bayern.
Dortmund may have to wait a while until the Champions League anthem plays at its stadium again.
Last year’s Champions League runner-up is eighth in the Bundesliga with five games remaining, and six points off the four Champions League qualifying places.
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Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski celebrates after forcing an own goal by Dortmund's Ramy Bensebaini during the Champions League quarterfinals second leg soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona, at the Signa-Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Barcelona players ahead of the Champions League quarterfinals second leg soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona, at the Signa-Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Dortmund's Serhou Guirassy scores his side's third goal during the Champions League quarterfinal second leg soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and FC Barcelona, in Dortmund, Germany, Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Barcelona's Gerard Martin celebrates after forcing an own goal by Dortmund's Ramy Bensebaini during the Champions League quarterfinals second leg soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona, at the Signa-Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski (9) and Fermin Lopez celebrate after forcing an own goal by Dortmund's Ramy Bensebaini during the Champions League quarterfinals second leg soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona, at the Signa-Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Barcelona's Ronald Araujo, right, duels for the ball with Dortmund's Karim Adeyemi during the Champions League quarterfinals second leg soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona, at the Signa-Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Dortmund's Serhou Guirassy, left, leaves the field with teammates after the Champions League quarterfinals second leg soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona, at the Signa-Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Dortmund's Ramy Bensebaini, left, duels for the ball with Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski during the Champions League quarterfinals second leg soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona, at the Signa-Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Barcelona's Gavi, right, challenges Dortmund's Karim Adeyemi during the Champions League quarterfinals second leg soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona, at the Signa-Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Dortmund's Serhou Guirassy, left, celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Champions League quarterfinals second leg soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona, at the Signa-Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Dortmund's Serhou Guirassy, right, celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the Champions League quarterfinals second leg soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona, at the Signa-Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Dortmund's Niklas Suele, right, and Dortmund's Pascal Gross react at the end of the Champions League quarterfinals second leg soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona, at the Signa-Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Dortmund's Ramy Bensebaini reacts at the end of the Champions League quarterfinals second leg soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona, at the Signa-Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
