Sen. Tom Cotton played down the sacrifice that farmers will make due to the tariffs imposed on Chinese imports by President Donald Trump, saying they are minimal compared to those made by fallen soldiers.
Speaking on “CBS This Morning” on Monday, the Arkansas Republican said, “There will be some sacrifices on the part of Americans, I grant you that, but I also would say that sacrifice is pretty minimal compared to the sacrifices that our soldiers make overseas that are fallen heroes that are laid to rest in Arlington make.”
Asked if that comparison is valid, Cotton, who was on the show to promote his book, "Sacred Duty: A Soldier's Tour at Arlington National Cemetery," said that when speaking to his own constituents, farmers "understand China is a serious competitor to the United States and wants to displace us around the world and when you look at the sacrifices that soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines make around the world, they're willing to bear some of those sacrifices in the short term to hopefully in the long term ensure our long-term prosperity and security."
Trade experts estimate that the price tag annually for the average American family for the tariffs will be between $700 to $1,000, but Cotton insisted that, "If we remain the world's largest economy and the world's largest economic super power in the short term, I say it is worth that cost."
Trump on Friday increased tariffs from 10 percent to 25 percent on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods, after he said Beijing backtracked on a potential agreement.
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