Republican Lawmaker Ridiculed for Suggesting Ditching China's 'Cheap Goods' Will Help Families: 'Kids Don't Need Toys, They Need Tariffs'

Republican Rep. Riley Moore defended President Donald Trump's escalating trade war with China, claiming higher prices on imported goods are worth it for the future of American families.

Speaking with Fox Business host Stuart Varney, West Virginia Congressman Moore framed the tariff hikes as a moral obligation.

"We're no longer going to barter [our children's] future for cheap goods made in China," he said, insisting America must "reorient" its economy away from cheap imports and toward domestic manufacturing.

Moore's comments were mocked on social media, where users pointed out the economic reality facing average families already squeezed by inflation.

"Ah, the American Dream...Kids don't need toys, they need tariffs!" one user posted. Another quipped, "Mommy, why does my juice box cost $7 now? Because, sweetie, tariffs are making America strong."

Critics blasted Moore for promoting an unrealistic vision of economic self-sufficiency, especially at a time when even basic consumer electronics rely heavily on Chinese manufacturing.

"They act like China only makes cheap goods...China makes all the other things you use too—computers, TV's, phones anything else that requires a lot of labor & petrol chemicals," one comment argued.

Others questioned whether the jobs Moore referred to truly represent progress for American families. "Do the families aspire to have their children work in factories producing the stuff that used to be made in China?" one user asked.

Trump announced widespread tariff implementation earlier in the week, with the stock market seeing immediate fallout. Trump and his supporters promise any pinch felt by Americans will be worth it in the long run, but for now, those who lack faith in the administration are bracing for the economic impact of its policies.