Washington (CNN) House Speaker Paul Ryan said the tariffs President Donald Trump imposed "risk having jobs being moved overseas and we risk a decline in American influence" during a speech at the Economic Club of Washington on Thursday.

"We have to continue to pursue new agreements while we strengthen our existing ones," Ryan said. "We risk having jobs being moved overseas and we risk a decline in American influence. All of this matters. As our generals will tell you, these agreements are just as important for our national security as they are for our economy."

He added the Trump administration is "right" to be vocal about trade abuses, but new tariffs aren't the answer.

"This administration has been vocal about trade abuses taking place and they are right to be," he said. "They do take place. There are unquestionably bad actors, most notably China, but I've made my view clear, new tariffs are not the solution."

He also told reporters during a question and answer session he doesn't know if the House will pick immigration back up because they're waiting for court rulings.

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