Springfield, IL — One year ago today, Donald Trump declared April 2nd, “Liberation Day,” and raised tariffs on nearly every country to at least 10%, unleashing a reckless trade war that illegally taxed families. Trump claimed the tariffs would usher in “a golden age,” but instead, Illinois has paid $9.6 billion in tariffs, and working families across Illinois paid $766 more for basic essentials in 2025 due to Trump’s inflation.
In response, Democratic Party of Illinois Chair Lisa Hernandez released the following statement:
“One year ago, Donald Trump declared ‘Liberation Day’ and betrayed working families. As Trump spends his time building gilded ballrooms and golfing in Florida, families across Illinois are paying the price for his disastrous trade war. Illinoisans are paying more for basic essentials like gas and groceries because of Donald Trump. While Illinois Republicans continue to rubber-stamp Donald Trump’s failed economic policies, Illinois Democrats won’t stop fighting to lower costs for working families.”
Trump also promised Illinoisans that they would get a slice of the billions of dollars of revenue his trade war has allegedly brought in, but a year later, Americans haven’t seen a single dime.
