The uncovered video of Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., below will make her supporters and donors blush after the past week’s hysterics.
In 1996, Pelosi was advocating for retaliatory tariffs against China’s unfair trade practices, resurfaced video shows — a complete contradiction between the past positions of Democratic Party leaders and their recent attacks of President Donald Trump’s tariff policies.
The video from June 1996 shows Pelosi on the House of Representatives floor urging lawmakers to challenge what she called the “status quo” of unfair trade policies with China that was contributing to America’s growing trade deficit.
30 years later, Trump did exactly what Pelosi was demanding.
“In terms of tariffs, I think it’s interesting to note that the average US MFN tariff on Chinese goods coming into the United States is 2%, whereas the average Chinese tariff on US goods going into China is 35%,” Pelosi said in her speech. “Is that reciprocal on exports?”
Pelosi warned about the negative future of the US-China trade relationship, calling it “the biggest and cruelest hoax of all” and describing it as a “job loser” for Americans. She claimed that China benefited with “at least 10 million jobs” from the trade relationship, while the United States was losing jobs.
“Not only do we not have market access, not only do they have prohibitive tariffs, not only are our exports not let in very specifically, but China benefits with at least from US-China trade,” Pelosi declared.
The resurfaced speech comes as Trump announced new reciprocal tariffs on China and numerous other nations, a move most Democratic lawmakers, including Pelosi, have strongly opposed.
In his “Liberation Day” speech from the White House Rose Garden on Wednesday, Trump outlined plans to implement a range of tariffs to address trade imbalances globally.
“For decades, the United States slashed trade barriers on other countries, while those nations placed massive tariffs on our products and created outrageous non-monetary barriers to decimate our industries,” Trump said.
Contradicting her 1996 position, Pelosi immediately attacked Trump’s tariff proposals, writing on social media: “Donald Trump’s reckless tariffs will cause chaos in our economy, raise prices for consumers and hurt hardworking American families. This is not a strategy — it’s the largest tax hike on the American people in history.”
Pelosi isn’t the only progressive lawmaker whose position on tariffs appears to have completely flip-flopped. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., criticized the government for not implementing tariffs to protect American jobs in 2008. Last week, Sanders posted: “Not surprisingly, Trump’s overall tax and tariff proposals would make the very rich much richer and working families poorer.”
When asked about this flip-flop, Sanders office issued a statement saying he believes in protecting American workers — only not through Trump’s approach.
“I understand that we need trade policies that benefit American workers, not just the CEOs of large corporations. And that includes targeted tariffs which can be a powerful tool in stopping corporations from outsourcing American jobs and factories abroad,” he said.
“Bottom line: We need a rational, well-thought-out and fair trade policy. Trump’s across-the-board tariffs are not the way to do it. We do not need a blanket and arbitrary sales tax on imported goods which will raise prices on products that the American people desperately need. We should be doing everything we can to lower prices, not make them incredibly higher.”
Pelosi’s 1996 speech also reveals concerns about United States defense and technology as U.S. companies rushed to open factories in China just 30 years ago. She cited specific examples including Boeing tail sections moving from Wichita, Kansas to Shen Province, where “workers make $50 a month.”
“We are exporting not low-tech jobs and textile jobs. We’re exporting our technology,” Pelosi warned, bashing then-President Bill Clinton’s policies.
“On this day, your member of Congress could have drawn the line to say to the President of the United States, do something about this U.S.-China trade relationship that is a job loser for the United States.”
Take a look —
Incredible clip from 1996. Nancy Pelosi on tariffs and the trade deficit with China.
"On this day, your member of Congress could have drawn the line to say to the President of the United States, do something about this US-China trade relationship that is a job loser for the… pic.twitter.com/DFlQ9wWSKh
— MAZE (@mazemoore) April 3, 2025