Sen. Rick Scott Urges Americans to ‘Stop Buying Anything Made in Communist China’

Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) is urging Americans to cease purchasing anything made in China and buy American instead as President Donald Trump ups the ante and raises tariffs on China.

“Communist China has chosen to be our adversary,” the senator said. “Every American family and business should stop buying anything made in Communist China and buy American instead!”

After Trump’s “Liberation Day” announcement China retaliated, vowing to “fight to the end” and raising retaliatory tariffs on American goods to 84 percent. Trump, in turn, bumped tariffs to China up to 125 percent while rewarding countries that have come to the table to negotiate instead of lashing out.

RELATED — Trump Announces Reciprocal Tariffs on All Countries: “This Is Liberation Day”

“Based on the lack of respect that China has shown to the World’s Markets, I am hereby raising the Tariff charged to China by the United States of America to 125%, effective immediately,” Trump announced Wednesday on Truth Social.

“At some point, hopefully in the near future, China will realize that the days of ripping off the U.S.A., and other Countries, is no longer sustainable or acceptable,” Trump said, instituting a 90-day pause with a “substantially lowered Reciprocal Tariff during this period,” effective “immediately” for countries that have not retaliated but are willing to negotiate.

He continued:

Conversely, and based on the fact that more than 75 Countries have called Representatives of the United States, including the Departments of Commerce, Treasury, and the USTR, to negotiate a solution to the subjects being discussed relative to Trade, Trade Barriers, Tariffs, Currency Manipulation, and Non Monetary Tariffs, and that these Countries have not, at my strong suggestion, retaliated in any way, shape, or form against the United States, I have authorized a 90 day PAUSE, and a substantially lowered Reciprocal Tariff during this period, of 10%, also effective immediately. Thank you for your attention to this matter!

On Wednesday, Scott also announced a bill package which he hopes will “protect American investors and crack down on Communist China’s exploitation.”

A summary of the package reads:

This package includes the Trading and Investing with Clear Knowledge & Expectations about Risk (TICKER) Act, the Protecting American Capital Act, the Secure America’s Financial Exchanges (SAFE) Act, the Transaction and Sourcing Knowledge (TASK) Act, and the Sanction Transactions Originating from Pernicious Chinese Companies and Policies (STOP CCP) Act. The Senator’s bill package takes a comprehensive approach to hold Communist China accountable by expanding sanctions and closing existing sanctions loopholes, implementing transparency and accountability with disclosure requirements, and protecting investors from bad CCP-backed actors on the markets.

“Communist China has made clear they’re willing to use any means necessary to become the dominant global power, including exploiting Americans, our financial markets, and our economy,” Scott said in a statement, adding, “it’s about time we make clear to Communist China that they will be held fully accountable and play by the rules and laws of the United States.”

“My legislative package makes critical changes to crack down on Communist China’s influence in U.S markets, and bring the change needed to keep Americans’ dollars out of the hands of our enemy,” he said, “and close loopholes that Communist China is using to exploit our markets and put our national and economic security at risk.”