Midwest farmers are “caught in the crosshairs” of an escalating U.S. trade war with China, but don’t want federal financial help because “we believe in trade, not aid,” Iowa GOP Sen. Joni Ernst said Sunday.
In an interview on CBS News’ “Face The Nation,” Ernst said Iowa voters “are supportive of President [Donald] Trump” and “just really think that he is doing the right thing.”
“But unfortunately we are caught in the crosshairs,” she said. “America's farmers and ranchers are always the first to be retaliated against in these types of trade negotiations.”
Still, she asserted, “We pushed back on financial aid.”
“Here in the Midwest we believe in trade, not aid. We don't want another welfare-type program going to our farmers. They want to produce and they want to sell their goods to markets.”
She said she’s hopeful other trade deals are on the horizon after speaking with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, including with Mexico and Canada.
“I think there are a number of agreements we're very close on, and he's working on a number of new free trade agreements,” she said, adding however: “At some point we have to close the deal. And as I said, I would like the see the president do that sooner rather than later.”
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