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A partisan divide over the Trump administration’s tariff policy took center stage when Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent testified before a House subcommittee on Tuesday.

Roughly one month after Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariff announcement, several Democratic members warned of potential price hikes and looming uncertainty as the White House seeks deals with dozens of trade partners.

“I compare them to how monkeys throw dung,” Democratic Rep. Mark Pocan said of the tariffs. “You never know where they’re going to land.”

Some Republicans, on the other hand, characterized the tariffs as an effort to counteract a decadeslong loss of manufacturing to China.

Republican Rep. Nick LaLota highlighted the nearly $300 billion U.S. trade deficit with China last year.

“Are tariffs a tool to reduce the trade deficit with China?” LaLota asked.

“Yes, sir,” Besssent said.

Then, LaLota asked: “Are they a tool to protect jobs?”

“100%” Bessent said.

The Canadian prime minister again dismissed Trump's stances on taking over the country and tariffs.

"Well, respectfully, the Canadians' view on this is not going to change on the 51st state. Secondly, we are the largest client of the United States in ... the totality of all the goods. So we are the largest client of the United States," he said.

"We have a tremendous auto sector between the two of us, and the changes we have made have been helpful," Carney added.

Trump however pushed back, but maintained he and Carney were having a "very friendly conversation."

"We want to make our own cars. We don't really want cars from Canada. And we put tariffs on cars from Canada. And at a certain point, it won't make economic sense for Canada to build those cars," Trump said.

Carney talked about the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) trade agreement and its future.

"It is a basis for a broader negotiation. Some things about are going to have to change," Carney told Trump. "And part of the way you've conducted these tariffs has taken advantage of existing aspects of USMCA. So it's going to have to change."

"There's other elements that have come. And that's part of what we're going to discuss," the prime minister added.

Trump said that he has not spoken with Chinese officials over the tariffs, despite claiming as much in the last few weeks.

A reporter asked Trump about the negotiations after Bessent testified that no such talks with China had taken place.

"They want to negotiate and we want to have a meeting, but we will have a meeting with them at the right time," the president claimed.