KENTUCKY — Gov. Andy Beshear, D-Ky., joined this week's "In Focus Kentucky" program to discuss a wide range of topics and issues affecting the commonwealth.
During this segment, Beshear discussed his plan to work with the incoming Trump administration when it benefits Kentucky; however, he said he's prepared to push back, especially on Trump's tariff policies.
During his first term in office, President-elect Donald Trump levied tariffs on steel from the European Union. That led to the EU enacting retaliatory tariffs for American products such as bourbon. In the weeks following the November election, Trump has said he plans to impose a 60% tariff on imports from China and a 10% tariff on imports from all other nations.
"When Donald Trump has a policy that's going to help Kentucky, we'll work with him," Beshear said. "When he has approaches that are going to hurt Kentucky, we'll stand up and oppose him. That's not that he's Donald Trump. It's whether or not his policies are going to benefit or harm us."
"I'm concerned about his tariff policies. Last time, it led to a tariff on bourbon. It cost hundreds of millions of dollars for a really important industry. So we'll need to watch and watch carefully; hopefully, we'll have an open line of communication. But again, my job is to make sure that this winning streak that we're on continues, regardless of who's president."
The two-time governor added he has concerns about statements from some in the incoming Trump administration about efforts to re-visit repealing the Affordable Care Act (ACA). In 2020, Beshear was among the leaders in a coalition of 20 states to successfully defend the ACA in front of a U.S. Supreme Court hearing that kept medical coverage in place for nearly 1.8 million Kentuckians with preexisting medical conditions such as cancer and pregnancy, as well as chronic health conditions, like heart disease and asthma.
Beshear also shared comments about taking on a lead role for Democratic efforts to win governorships in the 2026 midterm elections. Democratic governors in early December picked Beshear as chair-elect of the Democratic Governors Association for 2026. He will serve as vice chair in 2025, when Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly will continue serving as the group's chair. Voters in Virginia and New Jersey will elect governors next year.
His selection sets up Beshear to play a lead role in candidate recruitment, messaging and fundraising for 2026, when the DGA said governorships are up for grabs in 36 states, including the presidential battlegrounds of Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
You can watch the full 'In Focus Kentucky' segment in the player above.