Following Luján Push to Protect Prescription Drugs From Extreme Tariffs, President Trump Backs Down From 250% Tariff Threat

Santa Fe, N.M. – U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Committee on Finance, announced that following his push to spotlight the harmful impact of sweeping new tariffs on prescription drugs and domestic pharmaceutical manufacturers, the Trump administration retreated from imposing drastic tariffs of up to 250% on pharmaceutical imports from the European Union. Additionally, the Trump administration agreed to provide special treatment for generic medicines from the European Union – an action Senator Luján specifically pushed for in a letter to President Trump.

“Thanks to efforts to raise the alarm on how steep tariffs would hike prescription drug prices, disrupt access to care, and strain the generics supply chain, the Trump administration backed down,” said Senator Luján. “Americans across the country are leaving prescriptions unfilled at the pharmacy every month due to high costs, and steep tariffs would have only added fuel to the fire. I’m proud to have sounded the alarm on the administration’s sweeping tariffs and stop extreme price hikes on the prescription drugs Americans rely on. This retreat from extreme tariffs on pharmaceuticals from the European Union is a positive step, and I will continue pressing the administration to pursue similar agreements with other key trading partners to help prevent rising prescription drug costs.”

In April, Senator Luján led a letter to President Trump warning of the severe consequence the administration’s sweeping new tariffs would have on the cost of prescription drugs for Americans and on domestic pharmaceutical manufacturers.

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