Mitt Romney condemned the trade war between the U.S. and China, hours after it went into effect on Friday.

“Trade wars are a tax on Americans,” Mr. Romney — a Utah Senate candidate, former Massachusetts governor and former GOP presidential nominee — said in a statement, “They have severe consequences for many employees and inevitably cost American jobs.”

As of midnight Thursday, the U.S. slapped 25 percent tariffs on $34 billion in Chinese goods. The Asian economic powerhouse announced its retaliatory tariffs will soon follow.

Mr. Romney recently secured the Republican nomination for a Utah Senate seat and will face-off against Democrat Jenny Wilson, a Salt Lake County councilwoman. Though he accepted an endorsement from President Trump, the two have often criticized each other.

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