In April 2025, Kelly Ayotte acknowledged that Trump’s tariffs were “not helping” New Hampshire but declined to join other New England governors in formally challenging Trump’s tariffs, even as grocery prices increased. Trump’s tariffs reduced Canadian travel to New Hampshire by 30%, straining tourism and small businesses, and raised raw material costs for New Hampshire steel manufacturers.
In December 2025, higher grocery prices and changes to food assistance put 76,000 New Hampshire residents at risk.
2025: Kelly Ayotte Expressed Concern About Trump’s Tariffs On Canada, Saying The Tariffs Were “Not Helping,” But Said She Was “Hopeful” The Trump Administration And Canadian Officials Would Come To A Resolution. According to In Depth New Hampshire, “Kelly Ayotte said Canada is the state’s number two trading partner and there is a lot of back and forth business that we do and President Donald Trump’s tariffs are ‘not helping’ including travel and tourism. ‘I have urged the administration to resolve this issue in particular with Canada. Obviously there are other countries too that are involved but Canada is our neighbor and I am hopeful that the Trump Administration and Canadian officials will come together and resolve this quickly.’” [In Depth New Hampshire, 4/9/25]
2025: Kelly Ayotte Acknowledged The Harm From Trump’s Tariffs But Took No Action To Protect Granite Staters. According to the Boston Globe, “She’s expressed concern but refrained from outright criticism of the tariffs. Kelly Ayotte opted not to sign a letter from the group last month, addressed to the premiers of Canada’s eastern provinces, that called for maintaining their close regional relationship despite international tensions.” [Boston Globe, 6/18/25]
2025: Kelly Ayotte Refrained From Criticizing Trump’s Tariffs And Refused To Sign A Regional Letter Of New England Governors Challenging The Tariffs. According to the Boston Globe, “For months, most of New England’s governors have banded together in an attempt to combat and mitigate the impact of President Trump’s trade war with Canada on their local economies. But Kelly Ayotte, New Hampshire’s Republican governor, has kept a strategic distance from the rest. She’s expressed concern but refrained from outright criticism of the tariffs. Kelly Ayotte opted not to sign a letter from the group last month, addressed to the premiers of Canada’s eastern provinces, that called for maintaining their close regional relationship despite international tensions.” [Boston Globe, 6/18/25]
2025: Canadian Travel To New Hampshire Fell 30% Amid Trump’s Tariff Dispute, Straining Tourism And Small Businesses In New Hampshire. According to Stateline, “Hospitality businesses this summer reported a sharp decline in visitors from the North — Canadian travel to New Hampshire is down about 30% this year, according to state officials. Border crossings into Vermont hit their lowest levels since 2021, according to federal data, as the Canadian government reported a 34% drop in the number of August car visits into the U.S. compared with the same month last year. […] Tourism is vital for White Mountain Valley communities like North Conway. While it’s home to only about 2,300 people, the village is a historic travel hotspot known for outdoor activities, tax-free shopping and family-friendly theme parks.” [Stateline, 9/12/25]
2025: Trump’s Steel Tariffs Drove Up Raw Material Costs For American Steel Fabricators, A New Hampshire Steel Fabricator. According to New Hampshire Public Radio, “American Steel Fabricators turn raw steel into the girders, I-beams and columns that end up as the backbone of big buildings across New England: libraries, hospitals, schools, and, yes, toy warehouses. […] But Thornberry says he is routinely undercut on bids for larger jobs by competitors based in Canada. ‘We don't compete very well because they have a lot of advantages,’ he says. Thornberry points to electricity costs, which in Canada are subsidized by large hydropower plants. The Canadian government also provides healthcare to all citizens and payment insurance to firms, which allows them to recoup any missed payments from vendors without having to sue. Thornberry estimates for every dollar he has to spend to make steel beams, it costs his Canadian rivals just 85 cents. So the 25% tariffs Trump imposed on imported Canadian and Mexican steel in March could help American firms compete with international rivals. The problem is that in the near term, tariffs are driving up the cost of the raw steel he needs to buy, because American steel mills are now able to raise their prices and still come in below imported steel rates. ‘So in the short run, they're very bad,’ he says of the tariffs. ‘In the long run, they may be good because there'll be less foreign competition for US steel fabricators.’” [New Hampshire Public Radio, 4/15/25]
HEADLINE: “Grocery Inflation Highest Since 2022 As Trump Tariffs Pile Up” [Axios, 9/16/25]
December 2025: 76,000 New Hampshire Residents Faced Rising Grocery Costs And Increased Risk To Food Assistance. According to Gene Martin’s commentary on the New Hampshire Bulletin, “As 2025 comes to an end, many Granite Staters are feeling the same things. Groceries cost more. […] Food assistance is also at risk. The food stamp program helps about 76,000 people in New Hampshire afford groceries. Under new rules, the program will cost the state more to run and could penalize people who have trouble meeting new requirements. When people lose health care or food assistance, the impact doesn’t stop with them. Hospitals, local businesses, and communities feel it.” [Gene Martin Commentary – New Hampshire Bulletin, 12/22/25]