An old video of Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) urging Congress to retaliate against China’s tariffs on the United States is going viral for its uncanny resemblance to President Donald Trump’s current tariff policies.
Recorded on the House floor in June 1996, the video features Pelosi calling on her colleagues to challenge the “status quo” trade policies that had contributed to America’s growing trade deficit with China. She specifically urged lawmakers to address the disparity between American tariffs on Chinese goods and the higher tariffs imposed by China on U.S. products.
“In terms of tariffs, it’s interesting to note that the average U.S. MFN [Most Favored Nation] tariff on Chinese goods coming into the United States is two percent, whereas the average MFN tariff on U.S. goods going into China is 35 percent,” Pelosi said then.
She then asked, “Is that reciprocal?” before calling the U.S.-China trade relationship a “job loser” for America.
“In terms of jobs, this is the biggest and cruelest hoax of all. Not only do we not have market access, not only do they have prohibitive tariffs, not only are our exports not let in very specifically, but China benefits with at least, at least, 10 million jobs from U.S.-China trade,” she said.
Pelosi went on to point out how the U.S. was only getting 170,000 American jobs out of the relationship at the time.
“The fact is that U.S.-China trade is a job loser,” she said.
Fox News host Jesse Watters played the clip during a Friday show segment.
The nearly 30-year-old clip has reemerged following President Trump’s recent imposition of reciprocal tariffs on China and several other nations this week. Most Democratic lawmakers, including Pelosi, have opposed this approach.
During his “Liberation Day” speech in the White House Rose Garden on Wednesday, Trump announced tariffs to address the U.S.’s trade discrepancies worldwide.
“For decades, the United States slashed trade barriers on other countries, while those nations placed massive tariffs on our products and created outrageous non-monetary barriers to decimate our industries,” Trump said.
Trump cited the European Union, explaining that the U.S. would impose a 20% tariff on its member nations—compared to the EU’s 39% tariff on U.S. goods. He added that Japan would face a 24% tariff, in contrast to the 46% it charges on U.S. products, while China would be hit with a 34% tariff, compared to the 67% it levies on American exports.
Other left-wing lawmakers seem to have changed their tune on tariffs and addressing America’s trade deficits. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., posted to X on Mar. 17: “Not surprisingly, Trump’s overall tax and tariff proposals would make the very rich much richer and working families poorer. If you earn less than $360,000 a year, your taxes are going to go way up. If you’re in the top 1%? Don’t worry. You’ll save big.”
But, as the above clip played by Watters showed, in 2008 Sanders was all for tariffs and other protectionist policies to keep U.S. jobs from going overseas.
“Further, what they have said is that we need to not worry about manufacturing in America because what we should establish is a policy of unfettered free trade. We don’t need tariffs,” he said sarcastically.
Continuing to mock this anti-protectionist perspective, he added, “What we need is to allow corporate America the freedom – the freedom – to throw American workers out on the street, people who are making $15, $20, $25 an hour, healthcare pensions – throw them out on the street – because somehow, Madame President, we are going to create wealth in America and good paying jobs in America as we shut down plants, we move to China.”
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