'A failure': GOP ex-White House official blasts Trump's trade agenda

A former White House official from President Donald Trump's first term blasted the president's trade agenda on Tuesday during an interview on CNN.

Marc Short, former chief of staff to Vice President Mike Pence, discussed Trump's trade agenda on Tuesday's broadcast of "The Arena" with host Kasie Hunt. He commended Trump for bringing energy prices down, but argued that doing so revealed that the president's agenda has been a complete "failure."

"Thefact that he has lowered energyprices is significant, as he hasby 25%, in some way, justexacerbates how bad the tradeagenda is, because if youactually lower energy prices bythat much, and you still haveinflation at 3%, it shows thistrade agenda is a failure, andit's not working," Short said.

A signature element of Trump's trade agenda is increasing tariffs on foreign goods. Trump has said this policy protects American workers and businesses, although some experts say the policy has been a drag on the economy.

The administration's policy was recently challenged in court by wholesaler Costco, which is seeking a "full refund" of the tariffs it has paid since Trump took office, according to reports.

Short warned that Republicans need to pivot away from Trump's trade agenda as the 2026 midterm election approaches.

"And if theydon't pivot from it, it's goingto cause Republicans a bigdisaster in the midterms," he said. "It was clear from Novemberthat the message voterswere sending in multiple stateswas affordability and cost ofliving. It is still the topissue, and it's going to be achallenge for them."