Pence group ramps up criticism of Trump tariffs with ad campaign

A conservative advocacy group founded by former Vice President Pence launched a six-figure ad campaign on Tuesday pushing back against the Trump administration’s sweeping tariffs that are set to take effect this week.

Advancing American Freedom unveiled its first ad, which warns of potential consequences the tariffs could have for farmers. The ad features a testimonial from Dennis Campbell, a sixth-generation farmer in Iowa who says he is “very concerned” about the impacts of tariffs.

“Family farms like mine will be negatively affected. We need fair trade, not tariffs that lead to higher prices or foreclosures on family farms,” Campbell says in the ad, which was shared with The Hill.

Semafor first reported on the organization’s ad campaign.

“Tariffs harm American workers, farmers, and families and we are urging a swift end to this protectionist policy that could undermine President Trump’s pro-growth agenda,” Advancing American Freedom president Tim Chapman said in a statement.

“It’s more critical than ever for Congress and the Administration to make progress on renewing the historic Trump-Pence tax cuts and get back to the conservative formula of tax cuts and deregulation that worked so well during President Trump’s first term,” Chapman added.

The Trump administration last week announced a 10 percent baseline tariff on all other nations, with higher "reciprocal" tariffs on dozens of other countries like China, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, India and the European Union. Those tariffs are set to go into effect at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday.

President Trump has shown no interest in backing off the tariffs, even as he and other officials are adamant that more than 70 countries have reached out seeking a deal. The approach has rattled financial markets and drawn pushback from some Senate Republicans.

Pence, who has broken with Trump on multiple policy issues in recent years since leaving office, said in a statement last week that the tariffs would amount to the "largest peacetime tax hike in U.S. history.”