Stein talks tariffs at State of the Economy speech in Winston-Salem

Gov. Josh Stein visited Winston-Salem Tuesday to applaud the city’s economic growth, but he also warned that President Trump’s trade policies could jeopardize North Carolina’s long-term financial stability.

In his remarks at Greater Winston-Salem Inc.'s State of the Economy event, he praised local officials for attracting hundreds of millions of dollars in capital investment and noted that North Carolina is now the third fastest-growing state in the country.

“We've created real momentum in North Carolina, but we cannot just rest on our laurels," he said. "Other states want what we have here. We've got to stay on our toes.”

Stein said affordable housing and childcare are essential to sustaining that growth. And he told the crowd, which included all of the state’s U.S. senators and representatives, that President Trump’s trade policies will hurt North Carolina families and businesses. 

“Including those trying to re-establish themselves in western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene," he said. "If construction costs go up, let's say they go up 20% we are going to be able to produce a proportionately fewer number of houses in reconstruction. It is just math.”

Stein also expressed concerns about the impact of tariffs on the state’s largest industry: agriculture. About a quarter of the state’s crops are exported abroad.