Ted Cruz: Trump Tariffs On Canada, Mexico A ‘Huge Victory’ If They Follow Through On Commitments

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) signaled this week that the moves that President Donald Trump made implementing tariffs on America’s neighbors proved to be a “huge victory” because of the changes they resulted in.

Cruz made the remarks during the most recent episode of his “Verdict” podcast with co-host Ben Ferguson while talking about the 25% tariffs that Trump imposed on Mexico and Canada.

“If this ends up being a relatively short-term tariff, and the effect is to produce a massive change of behavior from Mexico especially, but also Canada, to help secure the borders and to help stop the fentanyl flow, it will be a huge victory,” Cruz said. “But that is dependent upon Mexico and Canada now stepping up and acting, and I think the pain inflicted, what will accelerate that process.”

“And listen, I think it says a lot that these tariffs were announced right at the same time that Trump sent his Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, down to Panama,” he continued. “I think these tariffs are speaking very clearly to Panama. I think these tariffs are speaking very clearly to Greenland and to Denmark. And these tariffs are speaking to people around the globe that Trump is perfectly willing, when he says he’ll impose tariffs, he’ll do that.”

Cruz said the tariffs have an “enormously valuable” deterrent effect when dealing with other countries.

“If the Canada and Mexico tariffs are a matter of weeks or a month or so, and it induces a significant change in behavior that secures the border and results in a lot less murderers and gang bangers and rapists coming into this country and a lot less fentanyl coming into this country, that’s an unambiguous win,” he said. “I think the Mexico and Canada tariffs are very, very different from the China tariffs. I expect the China tariffs to stay in place all four years of the Trump administration, and I think they’re serving a very different function.”

President Trump’s tariff threat with Mexico and Canada has put the world on notice that the United States will be taken seriously again.

President Trump is a strong leader, and he will not tolerate America being taken advantage of.https://t.co/ncWQ4IJfSo pic.twitter.com/NLk7F92GUS

— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) February 3, 2025