GOP congressman tells Americans ‘prices are up ... for the good of the country’

Ralph Norman says ‘the cancer in this country was letting other countries rule the day and tax our products’

Republican South Carolina Congressman Ralph Norman has claimed that while prices are going up, it’s “for the good of the country.”

His comments were made during a Fox News appearance as host Jon Scott noted that many Americans are not supportive of President Donald Trump’s economic policies. A Fox poll recently showed that 44 percent of Americans back the president on the economy. Similarly, six out of 10 Americans blame Trump for driving up the cost of living, according to a recent poll.

“I think a lot of people are seeing higher prices,” said Norman on Saturday. “Our family’s in the construction business, and we get a lot of our timber from Canada and other countries. Yes, it’s higher. Steel prices are up, but it’s for the good of the country.”

The 72-year-old recently announced a run for governor.

“Should we expect high prices for a short time? Yes,” he added. “But overall, we couldn’t keep going the way we were going.”

Ralph Norman, 72, has launched a bid for governor in South Carolina (Getty Images)

“The cancer in this country was letting other countries rule the day and tax our products, and why should we run a deficit every month?” he asked. “And that’s why this president is doing such a good job.”

“And you can’t go on — poll numbers vary, they come up, they go down. But the bottom line is, he’s doing the right thing, and it couldn’t come at a better time,” Norman argued. “Things will get better here.”

Trump’s widespread tariffs went into effect on Thursday after months of delays and attempts at new agreements with other countries. Most U.S. imports are now subject to tariffs of 10 percent. However, overall, the average tariff rate stands at more than 17 percent.

In the 2024 Republican presidential primary, Norman chose not to endorse the president, instead backing his state’s former governor, the former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley.

Late last month, Norman praised Trump as he announced his bid for governor. He said the president’s decision to bomb Iran’s nuclear weapons program in support of Israel “is going to put him in the annals of the greatest presidents we have ever had.”