Greg Cunningham Said He Supported Trump’s Tariffs On Mexican Imports To “Even The Playing Field” For New Mexico’s Farmers

February 2026: Cunningham Said Chile Farmers In New Mexico Told Him “They Need To Tariff And Tax What’s Coming In From Mexico To Even The Playing Field With What Their Costs Are”

VIDEO: February 2026: Cunningham Said He Had Heard From Chile Farmers In New Mexico That “They Need To Tariff And Tax What’s Coming In From Mexico To Even The Playing Field With What Their Costs Are And What They’re Having To Pay Their Workers And Their Production Costs.” KOTKOWSKI: “How do you suggest protecting the chile farmers?” CUNNINGHAM: “I asked them. So, that’s one of those things where I said they told me what the problem was, and I said, you tell me what what to.” KOTKOWSKI: “What’d they say?” CUNNINGHAM: “Tariff. They need to tariff and tax what’s coming in from Mexico to even the playing field with what their costs are and what they’re having to pay their workers and their production costs. They need the tariffs on those products. The chile coming across.” [Arik Kotkowski via YouTube, 53:07, 2/6/26] (VIDEO)

• VIDEO: February 2026: When Asked If He Thought New Mexican Agriculture Could Meet The National Demand For Hatch Chiles, Cunningham Said He Did Not Know. KOTKOWSKI: “You think New Mexico could meet the demand that we have now nationally for hatch chile?” CUNNINGHAM: “I don’t know the answer to that. I would hope so.” [Arik Kotkowski via YouTube, 53:33, 2/6/26] (VIDEO)

March 2026: Cunningham Appeared To Dodge Questions On Tariffs, Saying “I Will Defer To What The Men And Women That I’ve Spoken With That Do This For A Living Have Told Me”

VIDEO: March 2026: When Asked How He Would Approach Tariffs In Congress, Cunningham Said, “I Will Defer To What The Men And Women That I’ve Spoken With That Do This For A Living Have Told Me.” HOST: “Would you feel that if you were in Congress, you would protect them and try to get the the tariff situation to include protections tariffs for them, explain that a little bit, because obviously Trump’s tariffs have kind of they, they started out Liberation Day, very, very aggressive, very high, and then they were dialed back. But you know, Mexico is, I believe, I’m assuming, they’re the ones that are competing, that they’re the ones pushing the the chiles and and these other products across the border. Are they not? Is the situation not being addressed through the existing tariff regime? And as a member of Congress, would you push? Either, you know, rhetorically or through the president, hey, this needs to be addressed with the tariffs. Or would that? Would you see this more of a legislative approach, saying Congress needs a seat at the table. And here are some of the things that we want to see happen as a part of a tariff regime.” CUNNINGHAM: “Well, and I will defer to what the men and women that I’ve spoken with that do this for a living have told me, and they have communicated to me that no, the current tariffs and do not address their particular issues. And that would have to be something that I would have to sit down with them and dial in and figure out what those measures are, and then again, take it from there to, you know, both rhetorically and let’s, I mean whatever works.” [Rio Grande Foundation via YouTube, Tipping Point New Mexico, 40:53, 3/17/26] (VIDEO)

• VIDEO: March 2026: Cunningham Said Agriculture Industry Workers “Have Communicated To Me That No, The Current Tariffs And Do Not Address Their Particular Issues” Regarding New Mexican Imports. HOST: “Would you feel that if you were in Congress, you would protect them and try to get the the tariff situation to include protections tariffs for them, explain that a little bit, because obviously Trump’s tariffs have kind of they, they started out Liberation Day, very, very aggressive, very high, and then they were dialed back. But you know, Mexico is, I believe, I’m assuming, they’re the ones that are competing, that they’re the ones pushing the the chiles and and these other products across the border. Are they not? Is the situation not being addressed through the existing tariff regime? And as a member of Congress, would you push? Either, you know, rhetorically or through the president, hey, this needs to be addressed with the tariffs. Or would that? Would you see this more of a legislative approach, saying Congress needs a seat at the table. And here are some of the things that we want to see happen as a part of a tariff regime.” CUNNINGHAM: “Well, and I will defer to what the men and women that I’ve spoken with that do this for a living have told me, and they have communicated to me that no, the current tariffs and do not address their particular issues. And that would have to be something that I would have to sit down with them and dial in and figure out what those measures are, and then again, take it from there to, you know, both rhetorically and let’s, I mean whatever works.” [Rio Grande Foundation via YouTube, Tipping Point New Mexico, 40:53, 3/17/26] (VIDEO)

VIDEO: March 2026: Cunningham On Tariffs: “That The Path That The President Chose, The Supreme Court Told Him Was Not The Right One, But He’s Chosen Another One Now. And So, You Know, We Have To Do Things Legally, And We Have To Do Things Correctly.” CUNNINGHAM: “You know, I understand, you know, complex things, but, but as a police officer, as a former NCO in the Marines, it’s, here’s the problem, there’s the solution. What is the straightest line between the two. So, I’m very linear in that, in that aspect. So, I would use the same process. Go go to you know, the people that I represent, and say, what is your problem in your view? What is the solution? And then take that back to, you know, again, going back to surrounding myself with smart people going back to them and saying, okay, these these are the issues. These are what they say are the problems, legislatively and legally. What can we do? How do we how do we mold a solution for the people that we represent within the confines of the law? So, like the president you talked about, you know, as a detective, I had to follow very, very stringent laws to get my job done. So, I believe that you you know, any means do not justify the end, and so those means have to be legal. Means that the path that the President chose, the Supreme Court told him was not the right one, but he’s chosen another one now. And so, you know, we have to do things legally, and we have to do things correctly. And so within those confines, within with those parameters set, again, yes, to fight for the people of my district. I don’t care what it takes. Let’s get it done. Alright?” [Rio Grande Foundation via YouTube, Tipping Point New Mexico, 42:47, 3/17/26] (VIDEO)