Sánchez on Trump’s record-high trade deficit

February 19, 2026 Press Release WASHINGTON – Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee Ranking Member Linda T. Sánchez (D-Calif.) issued the following statement after the Commerce Department reported a record-high $1.2 trillion trade deficit under President Trump: “Even the Trump administration’s own numbers expose the failure of President Trump’s trade agenda. Instead of leveling the playing field and bringing jobs home, his policies have expanded the trade deficit and cost us 108,000 manufacturing jobs. “American families, workers, small businesses, and farmers are the ones paying the price for his trade policies. Rather than standing up for them, the president is treating them like pawns – sacrificing them to advance his reckless foreign policy goals. “It’s time to restore some sanity to U.S. trade policy. Congress must rein in this chaos, take back its constitutional authority over trade and put an end to the president’s illegal tariffs.” Background Ranking Member Sánchez introduced the Stopping a Rogue President on Trade Act , a bill that would turn off most of President Trump’s tariffs and require congressional approval for any new tariffs imposed by the president. The bill has the support of all Ways and Means Democrats. She also introduced with Congressman Mike Turner (R-Ohio) the bipartisan Respect NATO Allies Act , a bill to require congressional approval for any new tariffs imposed on North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies. ### Issues : Labor and Trade