On March 31, 2025, U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer announced his opposition to impending tariffs set to take effect on April 3, which he argues will impose a significant financial burden on families and businesses in New Jersey.

During his visit to Westwood, New Jersey, Gottheimer emphasized that tariffs should not be imposed unilaterally under vague national security claims, asserting Congress's constitutional authority to regulate foreign trade.

He criticized President Trump's tariffs as a substantial tax burden, estimating they could cost New Jersey families about $2,000 annually, marking the largest tax increase on families in a generation.

Gottheimer highlighted that these tariffs would raise costs on essential goods such as vehicles, housing materials, groceries, and fuel, particularly affecting imports from U.S. allies.

He cited warnings from economic experts, including the Federal Reserve and Goldman Sachs, indicating that the tariffs could lead to slower economic growth, inflation, and job losses.

Concluding his remarks, Gottheimer stated that the proposed tariffs would destroy jobs and hinder economic growth, stressing the importance of making life more affordable for families.

To combat the tariffs, he is backing the Prevent Tariff Abuse Act, which aims to limit presidential power regarding tariffs, and is collaborating with 46 colleagues to urge Trump to reconsider tariffs on building materials from Canada and Mexico.

Additionally, Gottheimer announced the launch of a public comment portal for New Jersey residents to report how tariffs affect them, with plans to share this feedback with the White House and U.S. Trade Representative.

He noted that Canada has already imposed 25% tariffs on U.S. goods, jeopardizing New Jersey's $8.4 billion annual exports to Canada, which exceeds exports to its next three foreign markets combined.

As a candidate for governor, Gottheimer framed the tariffs as economically damaging and called for restoring congressional oversight on trade actions to ensure transparency and accountability.

He outlined his plan to mitigate the impact of the tariffs, which includes introducing the Reclaiming Congressional Trade Authority Act to ensure tariffs are justified and require congressional approval for emergency tariffs.

In contrast, President Trump announced that the reciprocal tariffs would apply to all nations, not just those with significant trade imbalances, suggesting they would generate revenue and encourage companies to relocate manufacturing back to the U.S.