In March and April 2025, Ashley Hinson voted for House rules that switched off the House's fast route to votes on ending the tariff emergencies behind President Trump's tariffs on Chinese goods; the April rule passed 216 to 215, so it could not have passed without her vote. China answered with tariffs of up to 15% on U.S. farm products, rare-earth export limits that shut down production at some U.S. manufacturers, and a halt to U.S. soybean purchases from May to October 2025.
Hinson defended the trade fight and on October 27, 2025 called it the right direction for our soybean farmers while China had no orders for U.S. soybeans. Iowa lost around $1.2 billion in farm sales to China between March 2025 and February 2026, North Dakota State University economists estimated.
Ashley Hinson's Votes and Statements on China and the Trade Fight
- Hinson Voted to Block House Votes on Ending the China Tariff Emergency in March 2025, Before China Hit Back at U.S. Farm Goods. On March 11, 2025, Ashley Hinson voted for H.Res. 211, a House rule that passed 216 to 214, so a switch by her alone would have tied it, and a tie fails. The rule provided that the rest of the session shall not constitute a calendar day for purposes of section 202 of the National Emergencies Act for a resolution ending the February 1, 2025 emergency behind the tariffs on Chinese, Canadian and Mexican goods, which shut off the House's fast route to a vote on ending them. A week earlier, China had answered the tariffs with additional tariffs of up to 15% on imports of U.S. farm products, including soybeans and pork.
- Hinson Cast a Deciding Vote to Block House Votes on the April 2025 Tariffs, as China Cut Off Rare Earths and Soybean Purchases. On April 9, 2025, Hinson voted for H.Res. 313, which passed 216 to 215, so it could not have passed without her vote. It declared that Each day during the period from April 9, 2025, through September 30, 2025, shall not constitute a calendar day for a vote under the National Emergencies Act on the April 2 emergency behind the "reciprocal" tariffs, including the steep tariffs then placed on Chinese goods. China restricted rare-earth exports in retaliation for President Trump's new tariffs on Chinese goods, and U.S. manufacturers soon began shutting down production amid ongoing shortages; in May 2026 exports of three heavy rare earths were still down some 50% since controls were imposed in April 2025. China also stopped buying U.S. soybeans: by October 2025, China has not imported a single bushel of U.S. soybeans since May 2025, the Daily Iowan reported.
- Hinson Defended the Trade Fight With China as Iowa Soybean Sales Collapsed, in September 2025. Asked in late September 2025 about the trade war with China, Hinson said, "restoring our dominance and the global order when it comes to fair trade does not just happen overnight" (Daily Iowan). That month Iowa State University economist Chad Hart said, "Our soybean export sales are off nearly 34% compared to last year at this time" (Iowa Public Radio).
- Hinson Praised "the Right Direction" for Soybean Farmers While China Had No Orders, in October 2025. On October 27, 2025, Hinson said it was "great to see things moving in the right direction for our soybean farmers". KCRG reported the same day that there are no current orders from China to buy a single bushel of U.S. soybeans, and four House Republicans wrote that month that U.S. soybean exports to China have dropped to zero this marketing year. The Iowa Economic Development Authority later put Iowa's share of the lost soybean export market at over $1 billion in 2025.
What China's Retaliation for the Tariffs Ashley Hinson Shielded Cost Iowa Farmers
- Lost farm sales. North Dakota State University economists estimated that from March 2025 to February 2026, California, Illinois, and Iowa suffered losses of around $1.2 billion each in farm sales to China, and that U.S. farm shipments to China were almost $15 billion less than they would have been in the absence of the tariffs (via the Nebraska Farm Bureau).
- Soybean growers. Iowa soybean farmers export roughly 40-50 percent of their crop, half of which goes to China alone, so the purchase halt fell on the state's largest buyer (Daily Iowan, October 2025).
- Purchases collapsed. The Iowa Economic Development Authority found China’s purchases collapsed in June-Oct. 2025, during Iowa's 2025 harvest season.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ashley Hinson on China and national security
What is Ashley Hinson's record on China and national security under Trump?
Ashley Hinson voted for House rules in March and April 2025 that blocked votes on ending the tariff emergencies behind the China tariffs, and the April rule passed 216 to 215, so it could not have passed without her. China answered with farm tariffs, rare-earth limits and a halt to soybean purchases, and Iowa lost around $1.2 billion in farm sales to China, by one estimate. Hinson defended the trade fight and called it the right direction for soybean farmers while China had no orders.
How did China's retaliation for the tariffs hurt Iowa farmers?
Ashley Hinson had voted to block House votes on ending the tariffs China was answering, and by October 2025, China has not imported a single bushel of U.S. soybeans since May 2025, the Daily Iowan reported. The Iowa Economic Development Authority put Iowa producers' share of the lost market at over $1 billion.
Did Ashley Hinson say the China trade war was working for farmers?
Ashley Hinson said on October 27, 2025 that things were "moving in the right direction for our soybean farmers", the same day KCRG reported that China had no current orders for a single bushel of U.S. soybeans. A month earlier she said fair trade "does not just happen overnight".
Last updated: 2026-10-25