Tariffs and trade wars are typically outside the purview of state officials. But as Oregon’s state treasurer, I have been alarmed by the Trump administration’s recent actions, which threaten the financial stability and security of many Oregon families. The annual cost of the administration’s suddenly proposed tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China amount to an expense that nearly half of Oregon households are not prepared to absorb.

Oregonians are doing better financially than most Americans, according to the 2025 Oregon Financial Wellness Scorecard, which the Oregon State Treasury just released. Median household income ($80,426) is up in Oregon and exceeds the national average. Income growth is outpacing inflation.

Yet, in a more troubling sign, nearly 1 in 2 Oregonians cannot afford an emergency expense of more than $500, according to a survey Oregon State University researchers conducted, which was included in the scorecard.

The number of households living on a precarious financial precipice shows the extent to which recent actions by the White House would threaten the financial stability of many people across the state.

The cost of the proposed tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China would increase costs to the typical American consumer by amounts ranging from $800 to $1,200 per year, according to independent economists. That unanticipated outlay is more than the funds half of Oregonians have available to pay for unexpected expenses.

At a time when the cost of living remains a major source of worry for Oregonians, this price hike is an unnecessary expense families cannot afford. While the administration has paused tariffs on Canada and Mexico, Oregon consumers should not have to worry about having to pay more for groceries, gas, clothes, cars and other items they use each day.

In addition, I am deeply concerned about other actions the White House has taken in recent days that also could harm the financial well-being of Oregonians.

In late January the administration tried to freeze more than $40 billion in funding that the federal government contributes to Oregon’s state budget (and hundreds of millions more that flow directly to universities and nonprofits serving Oregon communities). This uncertainty jeopardizes vital research and services, as well as tens of thousands of private sector jobs in our state and the health of many local economies.

The administration also has sent repeated messages to Oregon’s 17,500 civilian federal employees — who care for veterans, provide Social Security payments, operate dams, provide air traffic control, manage public lands, and provide other vital services — urging them to resign. Treating federal employees like they are disposable undermines the critically needed services they deliver and disrupts their lives, their families and the contributions they make to their communities.

Americans also have learned that the administration has given unvetted temporary staff at the Department of Government Efficiency access to the federal Treasury’s payment system — potentially pulling the plug on trillions of dollars in federal funds and compromising the information privacy of Americans.

Oregonians work hard and are making strides in saving for school, retirement and other expenses. The last thing Oregon families and communities need is unexpected price hikes and uncertainty about whether the federal programs they depend on will be there for them.

I urge the White House to abandon its costly tariff plans, maintain the integrity of the federal payment system, and ensure the uninterrupted flow of funds to Oregon and other states. Oregonians cannot afford to bear the financial cost of these fiscally reckless actions.